For future reference, if your benefits are showing as 'pending' beyond your regular issuance date, you can also check BenefitsCal.com for any notices or tasks that might be waiting for you. They've improved the portal quite a bit in 2024-2025, and many notices that used to only go through postal mail now show up in your online account as well. This is especially useful for seeing if they need any verification documents from you.

This is really helpful information from everyone! I'm dealing with the same issue - my April benefits have been showing as pending since the 2nd. I'm in San Bernardino County and my normal issuance date is the 15th, so I'm not quite at my regular date yet, but seeing "pending" instead of just waiting for the normal deposit date made me nervous. It sounds like this is a system-wide processing delay rather than individual case issues. I'm glad to hear some people's benefits have already loaded - gives me hope mine will come through soon too. Does anyone know if different counties process at different speeds, or is this all handled at the state level?

btw if ur really desperate and cant wait for bureaucracy check out the local churches too, they often have food pantries that dont ask questions or need appointments

I'm so glad you found that message in BenefitsCal! This is exactly why I always tell people to check every single section of that website - they hide important stuff in the weirdest places. Once you upload those pay stubs, your benefits should be restored pretty quickly, usually within 24-48 hours if it's just a verification issue. Make sure to keep copies of everything you upload and take screenshots showing the submission was successful. If your benefits don't get restored within a few days after uploading, that's when you'll want to call or visit in person to follow up. You've got this! And remember, if this was just missing documentation, you should be able to get those missed weeks of benefits restored once it's all sorted out.

this happened to my neighbor too! the county keeps saying they mail stuff but nothing ever comes. she started taking pics of all her pay stubs and rent receipts just in case. glad u got it fixed tho!!! the whole system is so broken

So glad you got this resolved! This exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago - they said they mailed verification requests but I never got them either. It's honestly scary how they can just cut off your food benefits without you even knowing there's a problem. I've started checking my BenefitsCal account every few days now because I don't trust their mail system at all. The stress of not knowing if you'll be able to feed your family is just awful. Hope your benefits come through quickly!

It's possible they might pursue child support, but not guaranteed. When you apply for certain benefits like TANF/CalWORKs, counties typically require cooperation with child support enforcement unless you have good cause not to (like domestic violence concerns). Since your dad applied for Medi-Cal in a different county and the father isn't on the birth certificate, there's less immediate connection, but systems do eventually share information. The temporary custody situation might also factor in. If you're concerned about this, you have options: - You can request a "good cause" exemption if pursuing child support would cause harm - You could proactively discuss the situation with your caseworker - The father could potentially establish paternity and arrange support voluntarily The county will likely eventually ask about the father's information. Being upfront with your caseworker about your specific situation is usually the best approach, as they can explain your options based on your exact circumstances.

This is a complex situation with several moving parts. Since the father isn't on the birth certificate and you're in different counties, there isn't an automatic connection in the system right now. However, California's child support system (DCSS) does share information across counties. A few important things to consider: - TANF/CalWORKs applications typically require you to cooperate with child support enforcement, but there are exceptions - The temporary custody arrangement you had might actually work in your favor - it shows he was providing support when you couldn't - Since you now have custody and he's applied for Medi-Cal, his income information is in the system You might want to think about whether pursuing child support would actually benefit you financially versus potentially complicating your current arrangement. Sometimes voluntary support agreements work better than court-ordered ones. I'd recommend being honest with your caseworker about the father's identity and your concerns. They can help you understand your specific options and whether you qualify for any exemptions from child support cooperation requirements.

One other thing to keep in mind - don't forget you'll need to complete a SAR7 form after 6 months and recertification after a year to keep your benefits going. I learned this the hard way when my benefits suddenly stopped because I missed my SAR7 deadline. They don't always send reminders, so mark your calendar now for these important deadlines!

Welcome to CalFresh! What you experienced is completely normal and happens to most new recipients. The extra amount you received ($641 vs your monthly $424) was intentional - it included your prorated September benefits plus your full October benefits in one payment. Since you applied mid-September, you got partial benefits for those remaining days in September, plus the full October amount all at once. Your next regular payment of $424 should come in November on the same date of the month as your first payment (likely around the 20th based on when you received your first deposit). Don't worry about paying anything back - this is just how the system works for new applicants!