The 2022-23 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Feb 2, 2022 - In order to qualify for IHSS, a recipient must be aged, blind, or disabled and in most cases have income below the level necessary to qualify for the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment cash assistance program (for example, about $1,040 a month for an aged and/or disabled ind ividual living independently in 2021 ‑22).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4512

The 2022-23 Budget: Analysis of the Governor’s CalWORKs Proposals

Feb 11, 2022 - Starting in 2012, all adults on CalWORKs were allowed to meet the more flexible state standards for up to 24 months while receiving aid. The 2020 ‑21 spending plan included language to increase the duration of this flexibility.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4530

The 2023-24 Budget: CalWORKs

Feb 22, 2023 - Grant amounts are adjusted based on AU size —larger AUs are eligible to receive a larger grant amount —to account for the increased financial needs of larger families. As of October 2021 (when the most recent analysis was conducted), about 40  percent of CalWORKs cases included everyone in the family (and thus the AU size and the family size were the same).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4699

The 2026-27 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 18, 2026 - Recent Caseload Growth Has Matched Historic Highs. As seen in Figure  3 , IHSS caseload has grown significantly since 2013. Despite slower caseload growth between 2016 ‑17 and 2020 ‑21 (the caseload continued to grow during this period, just at a slower than usual rate).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5166

Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

Jan 28, 2026 - Many counties stated that they already have spent all or most of their state block grant dollars—prior to being able to claim any Title IV‑E matching funds for eligible EBPs. Because federal reimbursement for prevention services will require $1 local funding to match every $1 of federal monies claimed—and given the constraints and complexities of counties’ local
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5106

The 2022-23 Budget: Update on Home- and Community- Based Services Spending Plan

Feb 10, 2022 - The total cost of the HCBS enhancements is estimated to be $4.6  billion ($3  billion increased FMAP funds and $1.6  billion additional federal funds for enhancements that are also eligible to draw down the standard federal Medicaid match).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4524

The 2021-22 Spending Plan: Human Services

Nov 22, 2021 - The permanent back-up provider system will n ot be implemented until the policy framework is adopted in statute. (As of October 2021, DSS is still working to finalize the policy framework for the permanent back-up provider system.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4476/4

Trends in CalWORKs: Participant Characteristics

Jun 16, 2025 - Grant amounts are adjusted based on AU   size —larger  AUs are eligible to receive a larger grant   amount —to  account for the increased financial needs of larger families. As of December 2023, about 40  percent of CalWORKs cases included everyone in the family, making the AU size and the family size the same.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5057

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Federal CalWORKs Pilot

Feb 21, 2025 - Application Also Suggested Using CalWORKs Take-Up Rate as Outcome Measure. The CalWORKs take-up rate is the percentage of eligible individuals who are actually enrolled in the program (our office previously published a series of posts on the CalWORKs take-up rate).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4978

The 2023-24 Budget: In-Home Supportive Services

Mar 2, 2023 - In addition to the previously mentioned 6.2  percent enhanced federal Medicaid match rate, under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, the federal government increased the federal match rate for IHSS and other Medicaid-funded home- and community-based services (HCBS) by an additional 10  percentage points from April 1, 2021 through March  31, 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4729