CDSS Housing Programs

Overseen by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and proven effective at reducing homelessness, funding and spending authority is set to expire for Home Safe and Bringing Families Home by June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027, respectively. Previous one-time funding combined with multi-year spending authority has resulted in expansion of service provision and reduced homelessness.

•  For Home Safe, as of June 2023, 8,756 people have received assistance through the program, 3,555 instances of housing-related financial assistance have been provided to participants; and 2,037 people were connected to the local Coordinated Entry System (CES). Additionally, housing was retained for 85% of participants six months post-program exit.
•  Since the launch of Bringing Families Home (BFH), more than 9,000 families have been served, 4,400 have been permanently housed, and family reunifications have increased by 20% for families with children in foster care as compared to families in the control group who did not receive BFH services.

Without additional ongoing funds, counties will continue to close down these programs as they fully expend their allocation. With respect to CDSS housing programs subject to ongoing funding, the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) received previous one-time $190 million augmentation, which will revert to previous multi-year spending levels of $95 million (67% funding reduction). The Housing & Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) received previous one-time augmented funds of $150 million statewide with multi-year spending authority and will revert back to the previous $25 million funding levels statewide (83% funding reduction).

Child & Adolescent Needs & Strengths (CANS) Fidelity & Training

To support implementation of the Foster Care Tiered Rate Structure (TRS), the Governor’s Budget provides $1.7 million ($1.2 million GF) in FY 2025-26 to support implementation of the CANS tool fidelity and training activities. Pursuant to the TRS, the foster care rate will be determined based on a CANS assessment by county placing agencies within the Child and Family Team (CFT) and will be translated into a score using a Latent Class Analysis. This level of funding will be insufficient to meet the statutory requirements and pending guidance to support improved fidelity and training to counties. We urge the Legislature to ensure adequate funding is provided to ensure successful implementation of the reformed foster care rates, which supports county efforts to ensure rates meet the needs and strengths of a child.

In-Home Support Services Administrative Funding

In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) are available to older adults, blind and persons with disabilities who require assistance to remain safely in their own homes. IHSS is a client-driven service that brings providers into a client’s home to deliver assistance in activities of daily living. Currently, there are over 810,000 recipients and nearly 715,000 providers in IHSS. The IHSS Program continues to grow as adults ages 65 and older are projected to reach 25 percent of the state’s population by 2030. Moreover, the eligible population for IHSS has expanded with the recent full-scope Medi-Cal expansion to undocumented adults over age 19, as well as the Medi-Cal asset test elimination, effective January 1, 2024. Unfortunately, state funding for counties’ administration of the IHSS program is inadequate as the current methodology, last updated in fiscal year (FY) 2017-18, understates the numbers of persons served and the actual costs of staffing. This has directly led to high caseloads for IHSS social workers across the state, with some counties experiencing 500 cases or more per worker. These caseload levels are unacceptably high, hampering counties’ ability to respond to the needs of recipients and providers as well as meet federal and state mandates. Moreover, the gaps in the budget methodology have led to a significant shortfall in state funding, with counties consistently overspending the statewide allocation for the past five years. Trailer Bill Language (TBL) from the Budget Act of 2024 required the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to work with CWDA, counties, and others to reassess the budget methodology for IHSS county administration every three years, beginning with the 2025-26 fiscal year. Currently, CWDA and counties are working with CDSS to update the budget methodology. Per statute, CDSS is required to report to the Legislature the results of the current work at the May Revision.