September 29, 2023 - The Supplemental Report of the 2023-24 Budget Act contains statements of legislative intent and requests for studies that were adopted by the Legislature during deliberations on the 2023-24 budget package.
February 16, 2024 - This post provides background and caseload trend updates for the state’s major food assistance programs--CalFresh and the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP)--and analyzes the Governor’s proposed food assistance budget, which includes no major new proposals.
February 11, 2022 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s proposal to provide food assistance to currently ineligible immigrants aged 55 and older. First, we provide some essential background on California’s food assistance programs, then we describe the Governor’s proposed expansion, and finally provide an analysis of the proposal as well as issues for legislative consideration.
October 17, 2019 - From the General Fund, the 2019-20 spending plan provides $26.4 billion for health programs and $15.5 billion for human services programs—an increase of 18 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively, over estimated 2018-19 General Fund spending in these two policy areas. Major health-related policy actions include the reauthorization of a tax on managed care organizations (which will reduce the above-noted General Fund health spending by $1 billion, pending federal approval) and over $400 million General Fund for state-funded subsidies for health insurance purchased on the individual market through Covered California. Major human services-related policy actions include General Fund support to increase CalWORKS cash grants and most developmental services provider rates, and to restore previously reduced service hours in the In-Home Supportive Services program. The spending plan also reflects the deposit of $700 million into a safety net reserve (bringing its balance to $900 million) that can be used for future CalWORKs and/or Medi-Cal expenditures.
February 13, 2012 - Currently, three automation systems make up California’s Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS). These systems support some of the state’s major health and human services programs by providing eligibility determination, case maintenance, and reporting functions at the county level. Chapter 13, Statutes of 2011 (ABX1 16, Blumenfield) directs the administration to reduce this number to two by migrating, or moving, counties on an existing system to Los Angeles County’s new system. In this report, we identify several issues for the Legislature to consider as the administration pursues legislative goals for SAWS consolidation. We offer alternative procurement approaches for the migration that would encourage greater vendor competition. Finally, we make several recommendations to enhance legislative oversight and clarify legislative priorities for SAWS consolidation.
September 6, 2017 - Currently, performance measurement in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program is relatively limited and largely focuses on processes involved with the program's operation—particular emphasis is given to a federal performance measure known as the "work participation rate" (WPR)—rather than on the program's end results, or outcomes. As part of the 2017-18 budget package, the Legislature adopted a new framework for performance measurement in CalWORKs that will be known as the CalWORKs Outcomes and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR). In this report, we outline the rationales for measuring program performance and outline why, ideally, performance measurement should focus on outcomes. We then raise several issues to be considered as the Cal-OAR system is further developed and implemented in the coming years.
March 17, 2023 - This post provides an overview of the information technology projects in the Governor’s proposed 2023-24 budget, provides our assessment of topics common to several proposals, and offers options for legislative consideration.
May 3, 2010 - Through Chapter 7, Statutes of 2009, the Legislature has directed the Department of Health Care Services and the Department of Social Services to implement a statewide eligibility and enrollment determination process for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), Food Stamp, and Medi-Cal programs. The new statewide process is intended to achieve two primary outcomes: (1) providing better service to people applying for these programs and (2) lowering administrative costs through better use of technology. We identify possible improvements and cost-savings in the eligibility and enrollment process. We also recommend a general approach that the Legislature may wish to consider when making difficult decisions about how to proceed with Chapter 7.
March 25, 2021 - Supplemental report language adopted by the Legislature in 2020-21 directed our office to provide an assessment of a new dashboard developed by the administration for Medi-Cal eligibility functionality issues in the California Healthcare Eligibility, Enrollment, and Retention System—an information technology system. This post provides our assessment of the dashboard and associated process changes, and identifies opportunities for legislative oversight going forward.
October 30, 2014 - The integration of eligibility and enrollment processes of health and human services (HHS) programs has long been an important issue for the state. In this report, we focus on the integration of three key HHS programs: the California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal), CalFresh, and the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. We also raise several issues for legislative consideration, including (1) determining the appropriate balance between local control and standardized statewide processes, (2) considering whether automation systems currently under development could be leveraged to strengthen integration, and (3) considering whether additional programs should be integrated.
February 26, 2024 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposals relating to child welfare and foster care programs, which include a number of budget solutions. In addition, the post provides comments and questions to help the Legislature weigh in regarding the administration’s proposal for the statutorily required new foster care rates structure.