In 2024 CalSAWS has again made it crystal clear – this is a system for the counties only. At the 01-10-2024 CalSAWS CalWORKs/CalFresh Committee meeting the 10-9-23 CDSS CalFresh Division CalSAWS Enhancement Request (CER) CA-269077 to Automated Appointments Including Compliance with Expedited Service Timeframes that “…proposed recommendation automates scheduling of the intake interview appointment that also considers and meets
Expedited Service timeframes upon application registration in CalSAWS. If the application is ES eligible then the interview is automated within 3 days of the app date. If not ES eligible, then the interview is schedule within 10 days of the application date.” This recommendation was put forth to satisfy 7 CFR 273.2(e) and MPP 63-300.4 and streamlines service experience across all counties by CDSS as the state single state agency administering the SNAP program in California. To automate this CDSS single state agency proposal was to get counties, who are the agents of the single state agency, to vote for the proposal. If the Committee would have approved this proposal, then it would have gone to the CalSAWS Control Board Committee, another committee operating in the dark for “county approval”. The counties voted “no” to have equitable appointments for households who are food insecure. Is this a surprise? No.
On the date that CalSAWS was launched way back on June 28, 2019, in Sacramento where the then President Martinez publicly bragged “finally a welfare computer for the counties by the counties”. That expressly excluded the Department of Social Services, the State Health and Human Services Agency, the Governor’s Office, the legislature and of course the “public”-especially the people who the system was supposed to help, the beneficiaries of public social services.
The mission was to migrate three computer systems into one. That was completed last year yet the same corrupt governance continues with 4.1% of the funding coming from the counties and 95.9% of the funding coming from the state and federal government and the pubic that have been. Expressly excluded for most part. Yes. Two (2) of the CalSAWS meetings are open to the public, but the remaining 26 committee meetings meet in the “dark” in apparent violation of the Brown act.
In 2024 and ongoing there is no more “migration” yet this year the CalSAWS proposed budget is $360 million compared to last year’s S370 million. Was the annual most migration a meager $10 million?
Thus, what is the $360 million being used for? Maybe bringing the flawed CalSAWS system up to date and more responsive to the public it is supposed to serve and not just designed to meet the various flawed county welfare department “business practices” that make the program inequitable.
The Legislature must pass a law that CalSAWS must automate automation requests from the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Health Care Services just like county welfare directors are required to comply with all lawful directives the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Health Care Services pursuant to W&IC § 10802 that states:
The county director shall, for and on behalf of the board of supervisors, have full charge of the county department and the responsibility for administering and enforcing the provisions of this code pertaining to public social services under the regulations of the department and the State Department of Health Services. He shall abide by all lawful directives of the department and the State Department of Health Services, transmitted through the board of supervisors.
A similar law must be added to Welfare and Institutions Code Division 9, Article 2. Chapter 4.1. The current law does not even require CalSAWS to obey the law. It just says that CalSAWS shall have the goal of:
Section 10816 – Goals of system
The system shall have the following goals:
(a) Prompt and accurate verification of eligibility.
(b) Accurate computation and timely disbursal of benefits for such public assistance programs.
(c) Equitable, timely, and consistent treatment of recipients within each program.
(d) Reduction of administrative complexity.
(e) Strict enforcement of management and fiscal controls.
(f) Collection of management information.
Under current law there is zero accountability for CalSAWS.
Section 10816 should be amended to read:
The system must provide:
(a) Prompt and accurate verification of eligibility.
(b) Accurate computation and timely disbursal of benefits for such public assistance programs.
(c) Equitable, timely, and consistent treatment of recipients within each program.
(d) Reduction of administrative complexity.
(e) Strict enforcement of management and fiscal controls.
(f) Collection of management information.
(g) Follow all provisions of this code pertaining to public social services under the regulations and all lawful directives of the department and the State Department of Health Services.