Effective June 1, 2021, CalWORKs case assignment and scheduling for intake eligibility cases will be added to the existing Equalizer process. The current process already includes equalizing Medi‐Cal and CalFresh applications across the county. Read on to learn more!
Countywide Rollout
This process will continue to incorporate the district offices in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria, as well
as the Santa Maria Workforce Resource Center.
Benefits of the Equalizer
- Standardization of case assignment countywide across the Medi‐Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs programs
- Equalization of intake caseloads by office and worker
- Ability to view real time assignments and appointments countywide
- The blocking out of at least one appointment daily for CalWORKs Immediate Need per worker
What’s next?
Current Equalizer users will receive a new link to the new Equalizer that includes CalWORKs in their email inbox
on May 30th from Carolina Carrillo (via Google sheets). If you can’t find the link or forget, don’t worry. Simply go
to the May Equalizer link and it will open to a blank sheet that provides the new link.
What has changed?
For most EW’s there are no significant changes, unless they are a Multi‐program EW’s. These workers will now
get all application assignments including CalWORKs through the Equalizer. AOP’s should be receiving
information from their Supervisors on the changes that impact them, including how to equalize CalWORKs
applications.
A team effort
In April 2021, a CalWORKs Equalizer Workgroup consisting of program managers, DBS, as well as eligibility and
AOP line staff and supervisors met throughout the month to provide input and to help establish the basics of
what the CalWORKs program would look like being part of the existing case assignment equalizer. With the
guidance of our equalizer experts, the group was able to use the decision points agreed upon in the group to
move the project forward to the launch on June 1st. Some workgroup members will continue to provide
important feedback as part of the previously established Work Process Workgroup.
Feel free to share the news above with your co‐workers when someone asks, “What is this CalWORKs
Equalizer?” If you have any questions regarding the Equalizer, you can reach out to Heather Gardner, Carolina
Carrillo, or Mark Laurel via DSS email.