CalFresh is the

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

implementation of the federal

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, ad ...

(SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp program, which provides financial assistance for purchasing food to low-income California residents. Beneficiaries, who meet federal income eligibility rules, receive an electronic benefit that can be used to purchase foods at many markets and stores. The program is advertised to "help improve the health and well-being of qualified households and individuals by providing them a means to meet their nutritional needs." CalFresh is currently funded by a private/public partnership. Contractors, alongside community based subcontractors, contribute non-federal funds (State Share). The CDSS holds onto a portion of the reimbursements in order to fund a statewide hotline, develop materials, conduct trainings, and enhance outreach programs.

History

Originally the Food Stamp Program was established by Henry Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture, in 1939 under the Roosevelt administration. Food stamps were first introduced in Rochester, New York. This program was then later readdressed by the introduction of the food stamp pilot programs in 1961, under the Kennedy administration. Later on 31 January 1964, President Johnson proposed to Congress to pass legislation that would make the food stamp programs permanent. In April 1965, the program participation reached half a million, eventually reaching 15 million in October, 1974. Beginning in 1990, electronic benefit transfer cards replaced paper food stamps, prompting a change in name of the program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. CalFresh was formally established in the Food Stamp Reform Act of 1977. CalFresh was originally designed to act as a "safety net" against hunger for low income Americans in the state of California. Around the 1980's the original program was greatly expanded due to widespread and severe domestic hunger. Later in 2003, the CDSS and CDPH cooperated with the California Association of Food Banks to develop the first California Food Stamp Access Improvement Plan. As of 1 January 2013, this plan has been overseen by the CDSS and updated annually.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for the CalFresh program, you must be a resident of California and meet one of the following requirements: * A current bank balance under $2,001 * A current bank balance under $3,001 and sharing the household with a person over the age of 60 or a person with a disability In order to be eligible for the CalFresh program as an immigrant, you must meet one of the following requirements: * Have lived in the country (in a qualified status) for 5 years * Currently receiving disability related assistance * Are a child, under 18 years of age, and has been lawfully admitted to the place of legal residence Recipients over the age of 60 are eligible to use their CalFresh benefits to purchase low-cost meals in certain restaurants using a California EBT card. In order to be eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program, you must: * Be currently enrolled and receiving CalFresh benefits * Have an active California EBT Card * Be homeless, elderly (age 60 or older), or disabled * Staying in a hotel known as a Single Room Occupancy SRO which does not have access to a kitchen In order to be eligible for CalFresh as a student, you must: * Be aged between 18 - 49 years old * Enrolled in "higher education" * Enrolled in at least "half time" of credits (determined by school) * Receive Financial Aid that would meet an exemption Non-citizens such as tourists and undocumented individuals are not eligible for CalFresh. This will change soon after the passage of Assembly Bill 135 which will increase access to CFAP benefits for all California residents aged 55 years or older, regardless of immigration status. CalFresh households are subject to gross and net income determination tests. The maximum gross net income allowed by the program is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Households are subject to reporting changes: Semi-Annual Reporting and Change Reporting. Most households need to report the following three changes no more than 10 days after they happen. Federal

Supplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a means-tested program that provides cash payments to disabled children, disabled adults, and individuals aged 65 or older who are citizens or nationals of the United States. SSI was created by the Social Se ...

(SSI) recipients in states that provide state supplements to SSI are ineligible for SNAP/CalFresh pursuant to . The

State Supplementation Program The State Supplement Program (SSP or SSI/SSP), not to be confused with SNAP, is the state supplement to the U.S. federal Supplemental Security Income Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a means-tested program that provides cash payments to dis ...

(SSP or SSI/SSP), also known as the SNAP cash-out program, is the state supplement to the SSI program and provides state funded supplemental food benefits to SSI recipients in lieu of SNAP benefits.

Administration

The

(SNAP) is a

federal aid A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...

program administered by the

U.S. Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

(USDA), while CalFresh is administered jointly by the USDA, the

California Department of Social Services The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is a California state agency for many of the programs defined as part of the social safety net in the United States, and is within the auspices of the California Health and Human Services Agency ...

(CDSS), and the welfare departments of the 58

counties of California The U.S. state of California is divided into 58 counties. The state was first divided into 27 counties on February 18, 1850. These were further sub-divided to form sixteen additional counties by 1860. Another fourteen counties were formed through ...

: Federal law mostly consists of the

Food Stamp Act In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, ad ...

( ''et seq.''), and state law mostly consists of

California Welfare and Institutions Code The California Codes are 29 legal codes enacted by the California State Legislature, which together form the general statutory law of California. The official Codes are maintained by the California Office of Legislative Counsel for the Legislature. ...

(WIC) Division 9, Part 6, Chapter 10 (WIC § 18900 ''et seq.''). Federal regulations are codified in

Code of Federal Regulations In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulations promulgated by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government of the United States. ...

(CFR) Title 7 ( ''et seq.'') and state regulations are not part of the

California Code of Regulations The California Code of Regulations (CCR, Cal. Code Regs.) is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations (sometimes called administrative law) announced in the ''California Regulatory Notice Register'' by California state ...

(CCR) but are separately published as the CDSS Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP) and are "available for public use in the office of the welfare department of each county". The MPP includes the Eligibility and Assistance Standards Manual (MPP divisions 40-50, 81-82, 89-91), the Food Stamp Manual (MPP division 63), and the Electronic Benefit Transfer System Manual (MPP division 16). In addition to this manual, the CDSS often communicates policy direction to counties through periodic All County Letters (ACLs), All County Information Notices (ACINs), and business letters.

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.calfresh.ca.gov/
Food Stamp Manual

UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program
Welfare in California Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

History

Eligibility

Administration

See also

References

External links