CalFresh application on hold for 3 months - verification nightmare!

thats pretty commn right now tbh... county offices are SUPER backed up. my application took 2.5 months and i had to keep calling over and over. did u try going in person to the office? sometimes thats faster

Unfortunately, this has become a real problem in many counties. The system is supposed to process applications within 30 days, but they're severely understaffed. A few things you should try: 1. Make sure your case hasn't been accidentally closed due to missing verification. Sometimes they send notices that get lost in the mail. 2. Request an "expedited interview" if your household income is below the thresholds and you have less than $150 in liquid resources. Expedited service should provide benefits within 3 days. 3. File for a state hearing if it's been more than 30 days. You have the right to appeal the delay through the state hearing process. 4. Contact your county supervisor's office and explain the situation - they can sometimes intervene on your behalf.

I had to deal with this exact issue in February! What finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to an actual person at the county office. It's a service that basically calls for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when a real person picks up. I was skeptical but it actually worked - got through in about 45 minutes versus the HOURS I spent trying on my own. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 When I finally got through, it turned out they were missing ONE document that I had already submitted twice. The worker was able to locate it in their system and approve me on the spot. Worth trying before starting over!

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They do this ON PURPOSE to discourage people from getting benefits!! I had to wait 5 MONTHS for my application to be approved and when I finally got through they claimed they "never received" my income verification even though the BenefitsCal website showed it was uploaded!!! The county workers don't care because it's not THEIR FAMILIES going hungry!!! Always keep copies of EVERYTHING and get names of anyone you talk to!!!

have u checked ur mail carefully? sometimes they send u notices requesting specific verification but the letters look like junk mail so people miss them. I had that happen with my CalWorks application and almost got denied because I didn't respond to some random form they wanted. Check ur account messages on BenefitsCal too, sometimes they put messages there instead of mailing stuff

To file for a state hearing you need to submit the form DFA 377.1 or call 1-800-743-8525. You have 90 days from the date of the action (or inaction in your case) to request it. The hearing will happen within 20 days. Make sure you have all your documentation showing when you applied and what verification you've submitted. The county has to prove they either processed your application correctly or had good cause for the delay. For expedited service, just call and ask specifically for "expedited CalFresh benefits" and cite the severe processing delays. Mention financial hardship and that you qualify based on income and resources.

Omg this happened to me right before Christmas! Try emailing your worker directly if you have their email. That worked for me after calling for weeks with no answer. Also check if your county has a supervisor escalation form on their website - some do!

if u upload stuff to benefitscal make sure the file size isnt too big!! my friend had this problem where she kept uploading docs but they were too big so the system accepted them but they never actually got to a worker. try to keep files under like 1MB if u can

Based on your follow-up comments, it sounds like you've found two possible issues: the missed message in BenefitsCal and potentially file size problems with your uploads. I'd recommend taking these steps tomorrow: 1. Call using the service recommended above or try early morning (right when they open) for shorter wait times 2. Respond to that March 2nd message with the requested verification 3. Re-upload any documents as smaller files 4. Specifically ask for expedited processing due to hardship 5. Request a direct email for your caseworker Please update us on how it goes! This is unfortunately common but fixable.

I'm dealing with something similar right now - been waiting since February for my recertification to go through. One thing that helped me was calling the CalFresh hotline at 1-877-847-3663 instead of my county office directly. They can sometimes see what's happening with your case and even contact the county on your behalf. Also, if you're really desperate for food assistance while waiting, check if your area has any emergency food programs through 211 (just dial 2-1-1). Some churches and community centers also have food pantries that don't require applications. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but you're not alone in this struggle!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the 3+ month wait is absolutely unacceptable when families are struggling to put food on the table. Based on all the helpful suggestions here, it sounds like you've identified some key issues to address. I went through a similar nightmare last year and what finally worked was a combination approach: I used that Claimyr service to actually get through to a real person, AND I filed a complaint with my county supervisor's office at the same time. The supervisor's office seemed to light a fire under someone because my case got resolved within a week after months of delays. Also, definitely check if your county has a "Client Advocate" or "Ombudsman" - some counties have these positions specifically to help with cases that are stuck in the system. You can usually find this info on your county's social services website. Don't give up! You deserve these benefits and the system failing you is not your fault. Keep us posted on your progress!