SECTIONS 18230-18235 - California Statutes

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

SECTION 18230-18235

18230. Pursuant to this chapter and Article 1 (commencing with
Section 18200) of Chapter 3, the director may approve county
demonstration projects for the CalWORKs program. Any project approved
by the director that requires the expenditure of state or federal
funds shall be subject to appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

18231. (a) A county, or two or more counties, may implement
three-year performance-based CalWORKs demonstration projects under
this chapter to test alternative methods of service delivery designed
to do any of, but not limited to, the following:
(1) More effectively serve highly distressed geographic areas.
(2) More effectively serve hard-to-employ target populations.
(3) Better meet local labor force demands.
(4) Address the needs of the CalWORKs population in areas of
chronic high unemployment.
(5) Improve administration of program services to clients.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that CalWORKs
demonstration projects promote cross-agency collaboration within the
county or counties in order to reduce duplication and fragmentation
of services, serve CalWORKs families in a comprehensive fashion, and
increase the self-sufficiency and well-being of CalWORKs families.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that each demonstration
project test different types of alternative service delivery or serve
different types of populations.

18232. (a) A county board of supervisors that wishes to demonstrate
an alternative method of CalWORKs service delivery shall apply to
the director for approval of its demonstration project. The county
application shall identify the specific goals of the project, how it
plans to attain those goals, and the evaluation methodology and
funding source that will be used to evaluate the extent to which the
goals are attained. The application shall also include a description
of the process through which the proposal was developed, which shall
include participation by representatives of all the stakeholders who
will potentially be affected by the project, including
representatives of CalWORKs recipients, service providers, and all
relevant local government agencies. Prior to receiving approval for a
demonstration project, the applicant county shall demonstrate to the
director agreement from all parties described in the application who
will be involved in implementing the project.
(b) A participating county shall abide by all audit requirements
necessary to ensure compliance with federal law.

18233. Before authorizing a demonstration project, the director
shall ensure that it is consistent with the intent of state CalWORKs
law. At least 30 days prior to approving a demonstration project, the
director shall provide written notice to the chairperson of the
relevant policy committees of each house of the Legislature and the
Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The notice
shall identify any increased state costs that will result from the
project.

18234. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a county's
CalWORKs demonstration project shall not be exempt from state law
that governs eligibility, unless a county wishes to extend
eligibility to families not otherwise covered, in a manner that is
consistent with applicable federal laws and regulations.
(b) A county may not reduce grant levels below the level
established pursuant to Section 11450, but may supplement grant
levels established in state law, and may extend time limits, using
county only funds.
(c) A county's CalWORKs demonstration project may not be exempt
from state law that governs any of the following:
(1) Dispute resolution procedures and penalties, including fair
hearings.
(2) Recipient confidentiality.
(3) Child support collection.
(4) County contracting.
(5) Collective bargaining law and agreements.
(6) Civil service procedures.
(7) Fair labor standards.
(8) Displacement of current workers.

18235. A demonstration project under this article shall include a
range of services designed to assist recipients to achieve
employment, which may not include job search and work experience to
the exclusion of other activities that may be required by the
population in the project, and the supportive services necessary for
clients to achieve self-sufficiency, which at a minimum shall include
child care, transportation, mental health treatment, and substance
abuse treatment. A demonstration project shall not result in a
diminution in the level of funding for services that would be
available if the project were not implemented.