Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law establishes the CalWORKs Home Visiting Program for the purpose of supporting positive health, development, and well-being outcomes for pregnant and parenting people, families, and infants born into poverty, and makes participation voluntary for counties and participants. Existing law requires the program to provide high-quality, evidence-based, culturally competent services to pregnant people, parents or caretaker relatives, and children for 24 months or until the child’s 2nd birthday, whichever is later, that meet the needs of at-risk assistance units, as specified. Existing law requires a voluntary participant in the program to meet specified criteria, including that the individual is either a member of a CalWORKs assistance unit, a parent or caretaker relative for a child-only case, or an individual who is apparently eligible for CalWORKs aid, and that the individual is pregnant or the individual is a parent or caretaker relative of a child less than 24 months of age at the time the individual enrolls in the program, except as specified. Existing law authorizes, if a parent or assisted caretaker has been removed from the assistance unit or exits the CalWORKs program, voluntary home visiting services to continue until completion of the evidence-based home visiting program or until they terminate their own participation.

This bill would instead specify that the time on the program is not to exceed the duration of the applicable home visiting program model. The bill would also authorize, for a voluntary participant who has been removed from the assistance unit or exits the CalWORKs program, to continue receiving home visiting services until the home visiting program is completed or for up to 12 months, whichever is sooner.