Financial Assistance
A pregnant or parenting teen under 18 who
has never been married and is applying for
CalWORKs must live with a parent, guardian,
other adult relative or in an adult-supervised
arrangement. There are a few exceptions such
as if she has been kicked out of the house or she
would be in danger if she was forced to live with
her family.
If she does not have her high school diploma or
CED, she is required to participate in the state's
Cal-Learn Program. There are a few exceptions.
The Cal-Learn Program uses financial rewards
and penalties to encourage school attendance
and graduation. It also includes supportive
services to help the teen attend school regularly
such as childcare, transportation, and case
management. These support services may be
available if your county has an Adolescent
Family Life Program (AFLP).
The months that she receives CalWORKs
while participating in Cal-Learn will not count
towards her lifetime limit of 60 months of cash
assistance. See Financial Concerns Guidelines in
this chapter for more details about time limits
on CalWORKs.