This ACL provides 12 questions and answers regarding the community service component of welfare-to-work (WTW). Community service is an allowable activity for any CalWORKs program participant. Counties are required to develop community service plans to serve CalWORKs recipients who have reached the 18 or 24 month time limit, but remain unemployed or employed less than the number of hours required (usually 32 hours for a one parent family) to meet the WTW work participation requirement.

Per MPP§ 42-780.12, any CalWORKs county plan must include a community service component. The county plan must describe several things including: community needs that may be met because of the community service activities to be performed by clients; which recipients are to be served; the agencies that will be involved in planning, administering and managing the community service program; the approximate duration of the community service placement; and supportive efforts such as job search, education and training activities that the county intends to provide to persons who have reached the 18 or 24 month time limits.

Child care assistance must be provided to community service participants while other supportive services such as transportation and ancillary expenses may be provided at county option as described in the county plan. If the county chooses not to provide an optional supportive service and the recipient needs such service to participate, that recipient will have good cause for not participating.