Case Documentation

Cases frequently transfer between offices or are worked on by different Eligibility Workers (EWs) in the same office. Thorough case documentation enables the EW to be efficient in reviewing and understanding the case record.

Reviewers and Auditors must be able to understand the actions taken on a case and how eligibility was determined. Poor or lack of documentation leads to errors or state and federal findings.

Reasons for actions taken on reported changes if unusual or questionable must be documented so there is a clear understanding of what occurred and why it occurred.

CalSAWS Journal Detail Page

The CalSAWS Journal Detail page is meant to be an ongoing summary record of client contact and a summary of the EWs eligibility determination and reasons for case actions. The journal template that must be used by staff is the Classic template. Using the Classic template enables staff the ability to use the CNT.

At times the CalSAWS system automatically enters comments for automated changes and actions. However, it does not document the basis for the eligibility determinations.

Eligibility Staff will only use the following Journal types:

Appointment
Change Reported
ICT
IEVS
Intake
Narrative
Program Status Update
RRR
Recovery Account
Sanction Update

Employment Services Staff will only use the following Journal types:

Activity
Appointment
Assessment
Change Reported
De-register
Narrative
Program Status Update
Registration
Sanction Update
WTW
Work Registration

Use Factual Documentation

Documentation on the Journal Detail page should NEVER include a staff member’s feelings about or criticism of the client or another staff member. In addition, a supervisor’s evaluation of the casework is not appropriate on the Journal Detail page.

Important: The client has the right to review their ENTIRE case documentation except for “Privileged/Confidential” documents. The information on the Journal Detail page is not considered privileged or confidential.

Case Narration Tool (CNT)

The Case Narration Tool (CNT) must be used to document the following:

Intake Interviews,
Re-evaluation (RE) Interviews and
EBT Issuances.

Note: The use of the CNT is not required for Supplemental Security Income Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (SSI QMB) redetermination processing, Edwards (38 aid code) Re-evaluations, and Craig v. Bonta cases.

Required Case Documentation

In addition to program specific documentation requirements, the following is required and must be documented in the Journal Detail page:

Address or shelter expense changes
Changes in household composition (i.e. newborns, adding/deleting a person)
Changes in income, expenses or property
Authorized Represented (added/deleted)
Deprivation establishment
Requests to terminate benefits
Referrals requested and provided
Civil Rights compliance
IEVS Abstract processing
Sanctions and Penalties
Time on Aid (TOA) including issues & communication between EW and TOA Reviewer
Fraud and FRED Referrals
Any other requests from the client (i.e., help in resolving a problem)
Miscellaneous (i.e. unique circumstances to the case)

Note: The above list is not all inclusive and other pertinent information to the case may require documentation.

Interpreter Services

In order to meet the confidentiality requirements for applicants and recipients when individuals other than agency employees are used as interpreters, an Interpreter Services Statement and Confidentiality Agreement (CR 6181) must be obtained and imaged.

Case documentation must include that a release form was signed and a copy was imaged.

Collateral Contacts

Collateral contacts with the following sources must be documented:

Employers
Landlords
Other State and Local Agencies
Any other business or individual used for verification purposes

The following are examples of information a collateral contact may report and must be documented:

Scheduling/rescheduling of appointments
Request for verifications
Community complaints
Reports of child abuse/domestic violence, etc.
Interaction with Social Security

Any action or follow-up action taken as a result of the reported information must also be documented.

Bottom Line Override and Non-System Determined Issuance

Reasons for BLOs, NSDI and NSDCs must be documented and explained. This is particularly important for an audit trail.

In addition the following must be documented when a BLO, NSDI, or NSDC is done:

The amount of benefits issued outside of the normal authorization process,
Any claim created in association with the override.