About 1.5 million people in Los Angeles County receive CalFresh benefits. Under the new requirements, recipients of CalFresh benefits must prove that they are working, participating in training, or completing volunteer or community-service hours each month. The rules apply to people ages 18 to 64 who do not have a disability and who do not have a dependent child under the age of 14.
Individuals who fall under that category will be required to complete at least 20 hours per week, or 80 hours per month, of work, job training or volunteer activities to continue receiving benefits beyond three months in a three-year period.
"One of the ways that they can complete these 20 hours, that they can meet that requirement, is either through work, which many people are already doing, they can do a volunteer program, we have short-term training programs that can help them, so there are several ways that they can complete these requirements," said Gabriela Gomez, the public information specialist with the Department of Public Social Services.
CalFresh is California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- providing food assistance to low-income individuals and households. The new requirement threatens the food benefits for hundreds of thousands of recipients across California.
"More than 600 thousand Californians face the loss of their benefits, with the average benefits equaling $6 a day, and this is not something that vulnerable Californians are truly prepared to withstand," said Assemblymember Dr. Lashae Sharp-Collins with California's 79th Assembly District.
New CalFresh applicants will be subject to the new requirement beginning Monday. Those already enrolled may have some time before re-evaluation.
"Those who are currently receiving CalFesh, they will be evaluated at their annual renewal. So if their renewal is due in November, then November is when they will be evaluated to see if they need to participate in the work requirement," Gomez said.
"The people who are impacted by these changes are the least able to actually meet these procedural barriers," said Carlos Marquez, executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California. "These so-called work requirements are intended to impose new red tape on perfectly eligible people who are really struggling to just make ends meet and get by -- and they include families with children."
Marquez said the rule changes will negatively impact military veterans, former foster youth and those facing homelessness.
In October, the CalFresh program will undergo another change as a portion of funding will be shifted back to the state. Historically, the program has been fully funded by the federal government.
If you are already enrolled in CalFresh, no action is necessary, but you should make sure your information is correct and up to date so you're receiving any and all notices.