California Department of Social Services - State Hearings Division
Notes from the Training Bureau - July 6, 1999

Cal-Learn

• A 19-year old is not required to participate in Cal-Learn, but may volunteer to do so. Once the 19-year old volunteers, she must remain in Cal-Learn until she graduates, reaches age 20 or elects to terminate her participation in Cal-Learn. The county cannot "unvolunteer" her. As long as the 19-year old elects to remain in Cal-Learn, she is treated the same as any mandatory participant and may be sanctioned for not meeting Cal-Learn requirements.

• A pregnant teen with no other children who enters Cal-Learn may receive a pregnancy special needs allowance from her date of application even if she is in her first or second trimester of pregnancy. A pregnant teen with at least one other child is only eligible for a pregnancy special need in the last trimester of pregnancy.

• Per MPP §44-314, there is no increase in the CalWORKs grant as a result of an additional child born after August 31, 1997 (not July 31, 1997 as stated in this ACIN) when the custodial parent has been aided for 10 months prior to the birth. If a minor who has been aided in the home of her parent(s) for 10-consecutive months gives birth to a child and the minor’s parent was advised of the Maximum Family Grant (MFG) guidelines, per CDSS, the minor’s child is considered an MFG child. The CalWORKs grant will not be increased to include the MFG child’s needs. This is true regardless of whether the minor remains in her parent’s Assistance Unit (AU) or leaves the home and applies for CalWORKs as a separate AU. (See also CDSS All County Letter 97-29, April 30, 1997, Attachment 1, questions and answers 8 through 10.)