Existing law provides for the CalFresh program, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county.
Existing law requires each campus of the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and requests each campus of the University of California, to include on the internet website-based account for an enrolled student notification of, and a link to information on, specified public services and programs, including the CalFresh program. Existing law, until January 1, 2022, also encourages the Regents of the University of California, requires the Trustees of the California State University, and authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to designate as a “hunger-free campus” each of the
institutions’ respective campuses that meet specified criteria, including having a campus employee designated to help ensure that students have the information they need to enroll in CalFresh.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to establish a pilot program in up to 10 counties that voluntarily apply and are selected by the department to place a CalFresh eligibility worker on campuses of public institutions of higher education in the county for the purpose of enrolling more students in CalFresh. The bill would require the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to, and would encourage the Regents of the University of California to, no later than July 1, 2021, and in consultation with the State Department of Social Services and county human services agencies, establish a CalFresh student
outreach text messaging program to provide students who are not enrolled in CalFresh with a link to an internet website with information on applying for CalFresh benefits and to provide students with the name and telephone number of the CalFresh eligibility worker on their respective campus, if one is available.