ARTICLE 1. County Welfare-to-Work Demonstration Projects [18230. - 18235.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 1.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18230. Section 18230.

Pursuant to this chapter and Article 1 (commencing with Section 18200) of Chapter 3, the director may approve county demonstration projects for the CalWORKs program. Any project approved by the director that requires the expenditure of state or federal funds shall be subject to appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18231. Section 18231.

(a) A county, or two or more counties, may implement three-year performance-based CalWORKs demonstration projects under this chapter to test alternative methods of service delivery designed to do any of, but not limited to, the following: (1) More effectively serve highly distressed geographic areas. (2) More effectively serve hard-to-employ target populations. (3) Better meet local labor force demands. (4) Address the needs of the CalWORKs population in areas of chronic high unemployment. (5) Improve administration of program services to clients. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that CalWORKs demonstration projects promote cross-agency collaboration within the county or counties in order to reduce duplication and fragmentation of services, serve CalWORKs families in a comprehensive fashion, and increase the self-sufficiency and well-being of CalWORKs families. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that each demonstration project test different types of alternative service delivery or serve different types of populations.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18232. Section 18232.

(a) A county board of supervisors that wishes to demonstrate an alternative method of CalWORKs service delivery shall apply to the director for approval of its demonstration project. The county application shall identify the specific goals of the project, how it plans to attain those goals, and the evaluation methodology and funding source that will be used to evaluate the extent to which the goals are attained. The application shall also include a description of the process through which the proposal was developed, which shall include participation by representatives of all the stakeholders who will potentially be affected by the project, including representatives of CalWORKs recipients, service providers, and all relevant local government agencies. Prior to receiving approval for a demonstration project, the applicant county shall demonstrate to the director agreement from all parties described in the application who will be involved in implementing the project. (b) A participating county shall abide by all audit requirements necessary to ensure compliance with federal law.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18233. Section 18233.

Before authorizing a demonstration project, the director shall ensure that it is consistent with the intent of state CalWORKs law. At least 30 days prior to approving a demonstration project, the director shall provide written notice to the chairperson of the relevant policy committees of each house of the Legislature and the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. The notice shall identify any increased state costs that will result from the project.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18234. Section 18234.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a county’s CalWORKs demonstration project shall not be exempt from state law that governs eligibility, unless a county wishes to extend eligibility to families not otherwise covered, in a manner that is consistent with applicable federal laws and regulations. (b) A county may not reduce grant levels below the level established pursuant to Section 11450, but may supplement grant levels established in state law, and may extend time limits, using county only funds. (c) A county’s CalWORKs demonstration project may not be exempt from state law that governs any of the following: (1) Dispute resolution procedures and penalties, including fair hearings. (2) Recipient confidentiality. (3) Child support collection. (4) County contracting. (5) Collective bargaining law and agreements. (6) Civil service procedures. (7) Fair labor standards. (8) Displacement of current workers.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18235. Section 18235.

A demonstration project under this article shall include a range of services designed to assist recipients to achieve employment, which may not include job search and work experience to the exclusion of other activities that may be required by the population in the project, and the supportive services necessary for clients to achieve self-sufficiency, which at a minimum shall include child care, transportation, mental health treatment, and substance abuse treatment. A demonstration project shall not result in a diminution in the level of funding for services that would be available if the project were not implemented.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026