1. Thrifty Food Plan and Income Test Limits

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1 CalFresh Handbook page Thrifty Food Plan The Thrifty Food Plan is the maximum benefit amount which may be issued to a household with zero net income Gross/Net Income Test Limits The Gross and Net Income Test Limits are used to determine income eligibility for nonassistance households prior to the determination of benefit amount. Households that are Categorically Eligible (CE) are not subject to Gross or Net Income Tests. Households that contain at least one elderly or disabled member are not subject to the Gross Income Test Elderly and Disabled Separate Household Test Limit This test is applied to total gross income of OTHERS with whom a disabled elderly person and spouse live WHEN THE DISABLED ELDERLY PERSON IS UNABLE TO PURCHASE AND PREPARE MEALS SEPARATELY DUE TO DISABILITY. If the income of the others in the home is below the limit, the elderly and disabled person and spouse may be considered a separate household Chart Refer to the Chart Book CalFresh Charts, page 2-1, for a chart of the Thrifty Food Plan, Gross Income Test Limits, Net Income Test Limits, and Elderly & Disabled Separate Household Test Limits Cross References Refer to Income Tests, page 18-1 for further information on the Income Tests. Update #06-08 Revised: 12/26/06

2 page 1-2 CalFresh Handbook Refer to Income Deductions, page 20-1 for information on how to compute the net income amount. 1.2 Manual Benefit Computation Formula Follow the steps below to compute CalFresh benefits without the Benefit Issuance Tables. STEP ACTION 1. Multiply the household's averaged net income by 30 percent. 2. Take the above figure and round up to the next dollar (regardless of the cents amount, $.01 through $.99). 3. Subtract the result obtained in Step 2 from the Thrifty Food Plan for that size household. This amount is the household's allotment. If this computation results in $1, $3 or $5; round up to $2, $4, or $6, respectively Examples Household Size = 4 Household Size = 5 Net Income = $104 Net Income = $126 Thrifty Food Plan = $518 Thrifty Food Plan = $615 $104 x 30 percent $ $31.20 = $32 $486 CalFresh allotment a. Round up for all cents. $126 x 30 percent $37.80 = $38 a $ $577 CalFresh allotment Note: One or two person households which are Categorically Eligible (CE) must receive a minimum benefit amount of at least $10, even if a manual computation of benefits shows they are entitled to less. Revised: 12/26/06 Update #06-08

3 CalFresh Handbook page Deductions Refer to the Chart Book Thrifty Food Plan Chart, page 2-1, for a chart of CalFresh deductions. 1.4 Proration of First Month Benefits Refer to the Chart Book Proration of First Month Benefits, page 7-1, for more information on proration of first month benefits. 1.5 Verification of CalFresh Participation for Free School Meals Federal Requirement The federal government requires school districts to certify children for the free school meals programs. Children who receive CalFresh are eligible to receive free school meals without having to submit an application. Households that apply for the free school meals programs and provide a CalFresh case number on the school meal application will be classified as eligible for free school meals. For CalFresh recipients, verification of their current CalFresh participation rather than all their income is required. School officials are required to verify the receipt of CalFresh of a certain percentage of these households. Update #06-08 Revised: 12/26/06

4 page Confidentiality CalFresh Handbook The CalFresh Application Privacy Act statement was amended in 1985 which authorized release of information by CalFresh offices to school districts, verifying households' CalFresh eligibility status. Therefore, no separate release of information is needed. The information is used expressly for verification of eligibility for school meals. CalFresh offices have been asked to PROMPTLY release this information to facilitate the process for recipients and school officials. School officials need this information as soon as possible in order to approve applications for free school meals Direct Certification Before the start of the school year, the Social Services Agency provides school districts in Santa Clara County a list of school age CalFresh and CalWORKs recipients. The school districts cross-reference their student files with the list provided by Social Services. Students are then certified by the school district to receive free school meals. Families are notified that their children are directly certified for free school meals and are not required to apply in order to receive free school meals Other Certification Students who are not enrolled in school or receiving CalFresh or CalWORKs at the time of the cross-reference of files must be certified by the school and the Eligibility Worker (EW) EW Instructions 1. CalFresh applicants/recipients will receive a form from the school district requesting verification of income and/or CalFresh participation. 2. EWs will be contacted by applicants/recipients requesting verification of CalFresh eligibility. 3. Applicants/recipients may either mail the form or make an appointment to bring it into the office. Revised: 12/26/06 Update #06-08

5 CalFresh Handbook page EWs will PROMPTLY complete and sign the form and return it to the applicant/recipient to facilitate the verification process for the schools and families involved. Note: This is given top priority! 5. The form may be given or mailed to the recipient. A copy is not needed for the case record. Current NOAs will not be accepted by the school district to verify households' eligibility/participation. 1.6 Disclosure of Case File Information The Deficit Reduction Act (DEFRA) of 1984 authorized the release of certain CalFresh case file information to: The District Attorney (DA) and the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS). Local, State and Federal law enforcement officials INVESTIGATING AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE CalFresh ACT OR CalFresh REGULATIONS. Employees of the Controller General's office for audit examination authorized by any other provision of law. Requests for release of information must be made in writing to ensure that the information is not released for any reason other than for the administration of the CalFresh program and enforcement of its regulations. Note: The DA s Public Assistance Fraud Division and the DCSS are excluded from this requirement. All requests for information other than from the DA s Public Assistance Fraud Division or DCSS will be made in writing and directed to the DA s Public Assistance Fraud Division. Written requests must be sufficiently detailed to clearly identify: The requestor as having the authority to investigate the violation, Update #06-08 Revised: 12/26/06

6 page 1-6 CalFresh Handbook The nature of the violation and its connection with CalFresh enforcement, and The identity of the individual on whom information is being requested. If an EW has a question regarding any request, he/she should contact the DA s Public Assistance Fraud Division, (408) Revised: 12/26/06 Update #06-08