California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 11523.1

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to make the CalWORKs program the most effective family antipoverty program in the country. California continues to be a national leader in total caseload, provision of cash assistance, welfare-to-work services, and assistance for children. California is a national leader in improving the quality of life for CalWORKs families, including the elimination of the “maximum family grant rule,” as described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 11450.025, and the commitment to ending deep poverty among all CalWORKs families.

(b) Beginning in the 2019-20 fiscal year and continuing through the 2023-24 fiscal year, California embarks on the first cycle of a new CalWORKs innovation, the CalWORKs Outcome and Accountability Review (Cal-OAR) system. Cal-OAR establishes a local, data-driven program management system that facilitates continuous improvement of county CalWORKs programs by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating outcomes and best practices. This system will help achieve the state's goals of ensuring that CalWORKs families receive the best possible services and supports to improve their lives and will also help the state meet federal work participation rates by emphasizing quality and engagement.

(c) At the same time, county human services agencies are transforming the welfare-to-work process away from a compliance-oriented and work-first model into a modern, science-based, and goal-oriented welfare-to-work model known locally as CalWORKs 2.0. The success of this approach depends on a culture shift away from compliance-oriented, directive case management and toward supportive and responsive interactions between the case manager and the customer. Case management emphasizes coaching that allows clients to naturally develop accountability by setting and achieving their goals. Case managers in CalWORKs 2.0 have a framework to provide customers a trajectory from stability, to upskilling, to employment.

(d) Cal-OAR and the county CalWORKs 2.0 initiative are bold steps toward a better CalWORKs program, yet state law has not been updated to be consistent with the new approaches.