Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 11495

It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to adopt a family violence provision by enacting the federal option concerning victims of domestic violence provided for in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program pursuant to Section 402(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 602(a)(7)). By adopting this provision, the Legislature recognizes that some individuals who may need public assistance have been or are victims of abuse, and intends to ensure that applicants and recipients who are past or present victims of abuse are not placed at further risk or unfairly penalized by CalWORKs requirements and procedures. The Legislature intends that, in implementing this article, program requirements not be created or applied in such a way as to encourage a victim to remain with the abuser. It is also the intent of the Legislature that CalWORKs recipients participate in welfare-to-work activities, to the full extent of their abilities, including participation in counselling and treatment programs, as appropriate, to enable the recipient to obtain unsubsidized employment and move towards self-sufficiency.