The 2019-20 Budget: California Spending Plan—Health and Human Services

Oct 17, 2019 - A number of major HHS programs, such as CalFresh and CalWORKs, are locally administered by the state ’s 58 counties. To determine eligibility for these programs and perform other administrative functions, counties use one of three automated welfare systems.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4104

The 2025-26 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 19, 2025 - Automation for the expansion is now expected to begin in 2026-27, with benefit distribution to begin in 2027-28 (for newly eligible recipients). Other Programs and Pilots Provide Supplemental Benefits and Emergency Food Support.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4971

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Welfare

Mar 3, 2026 - Some questions could include: If the Legislature does not make an appropriation to implement the Tiered Rate Structure beginning in 2027-28, the current, interim LOC rate structure for foster care maintenance payments would remain in place.
https://lao.ca.gov/publications/report/5147

The 2026-27 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 18, 2026 - Finally, we provide an update on estimates for the Legislature ’s previous action to expand CFAP to undocumented immigrants in 2027-28. Background CalFresh and CFAP CalFresh Provides Federally Funded Nutrition Assistance to Low-Income Californians.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5126

The 2026-27 Budget: County Administration and H.R. 1 Implementation

Mar 5, 2026 - H.R. 1 Puts Strain on State and County Budgets State Faces Structural Deficit … Even before considering H.R.  1, our office and the administration estimate that the state faces significant structural budget deficits starting in 2027 ‑28.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5149

The 2026-27 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 18, 2026 - In  particular, we note that the proposal to shift IHSS hours growth costs to counties does not assume savings until 2027 ‑28. This means that the Legislature has time to fully understand the proposal and its implications before taking action.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5166

The 2024-25 Budget: Food Assistance Programs

Feb 16, 2024 - CalSAWS was introduced in 2019 and, as of October 2023, all 58 counties use the system. The federal government helps manage an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system which deposits monthly benefits for CalFresh and other human services pr ograms onto cards to be used at grocery and convenience store checkout counters.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4845

The 2017-18 Budget: Analysis of the Human Services Budget

Feb 28, 2017 - The actual delivery of many services takes place at the local level and is typically carried out by 58 separate county welfare departments. A major exception is the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP), which is administered mainly by the U.S.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3576

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 21, 2025 - Funding for DSS ’s Office of Child Abuse Prevention to Develop a Standardized Curriculum for Mandated Reporters ($0.6  Million General Fund in 2025-26, Growing to $6  Million 2027-28, and About $1  Million Ongoing).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5086/6

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 21, 2025 - The spending plan accelerates the end of the hold harmless period to February 28, 2026, resulting in one-time savings of $75  million General Fund. Establishes Additional Criteria That Service Providers Must Satisfy in Order to Be Eligible to Earn Quality Incentive Payments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5086/1