CalFresh benefits stopped 2 months ago - should I reapply or request reinstatement?

This happens more often than you'd think. The important question is WHY your benefits stopped. Did you miss your Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) or recertification? Or did you miss providing verification documents they requested? Depending on that, you have different options. If it's been less than 30 days since discontinuance, you can request what's called a 'restoration' where they just reopen your case. After 30 days, policy usually requires a new application, BUT some counties will still restore cases up to 90 days if you have good cause for the delay.

same thing happened to my sister last year! she just reapplied and it was faster than trying to get someone on the phone tbh

i bet you missed your SAR7!! thats what happened to me and i had to do a whole new application it was SO ANNOYING and took like a month to get approved again. check your mail more carefully next time cuz they barely give you any time to respond to those things!!

HEY JUST FYI - when this happened to me in January they told me I COULD NOT get benefits for the months I missed after being cut off. So don't count on getting back benefits even if its THEIR MISTAKE!!! The whole system is designed to cut people off and save $$$ for the government! I had to call like 25 times before I could even talk to anyone about my case getting closed for NO REASON!

I recently dealt with this exact situation and spending literally DAYS trying to get through to anyone at the county office was the worst part. After constant busy signals and getting disconnected, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at the CalFresh office in under 25 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The worker was able to tell me I missed my recertification deadline by just 3 days but they were willing to reopen my case without a full reapplication since it was so close to the deadline. Saved me weeks of waiting for a new application to process.

Here's what you should do based on CalFresh regulations: 1. Call your county office ASAP - try to determine why your benefits stopped (SAR7, recertification, verification documents, etc.) 2. If it's been less than 90 days, request a case restoration with good cause (explain any circumstances that prevented you from responding to notices) 3. If they won't restore your case, then submit a new application through BenefitsCal immediately 4. Request expedited services on your new application (you should qualify for 3-day processing if you have very little income right now) 5. Submit any requested verification documents quickly - this is usually what delays applications For future reference, CalFresh requires a Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) every 6 months and annual recertification. Missing either one will cause discontinuance. Setting calendar reminders can help prevent this situation from happening again.

This literally happens 2 my family every year lol. The county workers r so overloaded they just cut people off without even trying 2 contact u sometimes. Dont even get me started on how they lost my docs THREE TIMES last year and then blamed me!!! Just walk into the office in person if u can, always works better than calling.

wait i just realized u should check ur mail to see if they sent u one of those NOA (notice of action) things that says why they stopped ur benefits!! that letter should tell u exactly why

One more thing to try - log into your BenefitsCal account online. You should be able to see electronic copies of notices they sent you, including the discontinuance notice. This might tell you exactly why your benefits stopped without having to wait on the phone. Also, check if your recertification or SAR7 is available to complete online - sometimes you can still submit these through the portal even after the deadline, though you'll need to call to request they process it.

I went through something similar about 6 months ago! My benefits stopped and I panicked thinking I'd have to start all over. Turns out I had missed my SAR7 deadline by about a week. The key thing that saved me was calling and explaining that I had been dealing with a family emergency (which was true). The caseworker was actually really understanding and was able to restore my case without making me do a full reapplication. It took about 10 days to get my benefits back, but that was way faster than the 30+ days a new application would have taken. Don't give up on trying to get it restored first - the worst they can say is no, and then you can always fall back on reapplying. Good luck!

I work at a county eligibility office and see this situation daily. Here's my advice: DEFINITELY try calling first before reapplying. Two months means you're still within the timeframe where restoration might be possible. When you call, ask specifically about "good cause" for missing whatever deadline caused the discontinuance. Common good cause reasons include: not receiving the notice due to mail issues, illness, family emergency, or moving. If you can show good cause, many counties will restore your case even past the normal 30-day window. Also, if you do end up having to reapply, make sure to request expedited processing - with no income and limited resources, you should qualify for benefits within 3 days of submitting a complete application. Don't lose hope, there are options!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! My benefits stopped about 6 weeks ago and I've been too overwhelmed to deal with it until now. Reading through all these responses is so helpful - I had no idea there were so many different options depending on why the benefits stopped. I'm definitely going to try the BenefitsCal login suggestion first to see if I can find the discontinuance notice, then call about restoration with good cause. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one this has happened to and that there might be faster solutions than starting completely over. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in because I'm currently dealing with something very similar. My benefits stopped about 3 weeks ago and I've been putting off dealing with it because the whole process seems so overwhelming. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there were so many different pathways depending on why the benefits stopped in the first place. The advice about checking your BenefitsCal account online first to find the discontinuance notice is genius - I'm going to do that tonight before I try calling. It's also really encouraging to hear from people like Isabella who work in the system and can confirm that restoration is actually possible with good cause. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it makes this whole situation feel much less scary when you know you're not alone and that there are people willing to help navigate these complicated systems!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm not dealing with this exact situation right now, but seeing how everyone came together to provide such detailed, actionable advice really shows what a supportive community this is. The systematic approach that's emerged from all your responses - checking BenefitsCal online first, then calling about restoration with good cause, and having reapplication as a backup plan - is exactly the kind of roadmap that makes these overwhelming government processes feel manageable. Special thanks to Isabella for the insider perspective and to everyone else who shared their personal experiences. This is definitely the kind of information I'll bookmark for future reference, and I'm sure it's helping so many people beyond just Oliver who are facing similar challenges.

As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how thorough and helpful everyone's responses have been! I'm not currently dealing with CalFresh issues myself, but this thread is such a valuable resource. The systematic approach everyone has outlined - starting with checking your BenefitsCal account online, then calling about restoration with good cause, and having a new application as backup - creates such a clear roadmap for what can be a really overwhelming situation. It's especially helpful to see responses from people who work in the system like Isabella, as well as personal success stories from folks like Lola who got their case restored after missing a deadline. Oliver, I hope you're able to get this sorted out quickly using all this great advice! This community really shows how sharing experiences and knowledge can make navigating these complex government systems so much more manageable.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. My CalFresh benefits stopped unexpectedly and I was terrified I'd lost them permanently. After reading through all the amazing advice here, I realize I got lucky - I happened to call within the first month and they were able to restore my case because I had missed my SAR7 due to being hospitalized. The caseworker explained that they have to send notices by mail, but if you don't receive them or can't respond due to circumstances beyond your control, they can often work with you. Oliver, definitely try the BenefitsCal login first like Mary suggested - that's such a smart way to figure out exactly what happened before you call. And don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to says no - sometimes it helps to ask to speak with a supervisor or call back and try a different worker. The whole process taught me to set calendar reminders for those SAR7 deadlines every 6 months. Wishing you the best of luck getting this resolved quickly!