Can my homeless teen sister (17) qualify for CalFresh/cash aid on her own?

omg im so sorry about ur sister! she should definitely qualify for emergency calfresh and possibly calworks too since shes homeless. im pretty sure minors CAN apply if theyre homeless w/out a guardian. tell her to go to the nearest county office ASAP and explain she needs emergency homeless assistance. they might give her EBT same day if shes really in crisis.

Thanks so much. Do you know what documents she would need? She literally has nothing - her bf kept all her stuff including her school ID. Would they still help her?

Your sister qualifies as an \

wait i thought minors cant get benefits without their parents applying?? my cousin tried this and they made her go to CPS first...

For a minor applying on their own, it depends on their specific situation. Your sister may qualify as a \

This is really helpful. My nephew was in a similar situation last year. What about youth shelters? Are those better than trying to navigate the benefits system? I've heard they can sometimes help teens get benefits faster with case managers.

tell ur sis to go 2 a youth shelter FIRST!!!! the county offices r crazy slow & she needs a safe place tonite. in LA theres Covenant House & LA Youth Network that take teens w/no questions. they have food right away + can help her apply 4 calfresh/calworks with a case worker who knows all the rules for minors. dont let her wait in DPSS all day with nowhere to sleep after!!

This is really good advice, thank you! She's nervous about shelters but I think having a safe place first makes sense. Do you know if these places let you keep your phone? She's scared of losing contact with me.

The CalFresh eligibility for your sister is complicated but doable. At 17, she's technically a minor but can qualify as her own household due to her homeless status. When I worked at a youth center, we helped teens in similar situations.\n\nFor fastest help, she should: \n1. Go to a youth shelter first (they'll feed her immediately)\n2. Ask for a case manager to help with emergency benefits\n3. Request expedited CalFresh (3-day processing)\n4. Apply for CalWORKs simultaneously \n\nThe verification requirements are relaxed for homeless applicants. She can self-certify her identity initially and provide more documentation later. The county must help her obtain necessary documents.\n\nHas she tried calling the DPSS Customer Service Center? The wait is usually ridiculous though - I tried helping a client last week and we waited 3 hours only to get disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they have a service that holds your place in line and calls you back when a worker is available. Saved hours of waiting. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

Thank you for such detailed help! I've been trying to coach her through this over the phone but it's hard when I don't know the CA system. I'll suggest the youth shelter route first and then benefits. Is Claimyr something she could use from her phone? She's trying to save battery.

everybody saying she can get benefits but my frend who works at social services says they HAVE TO report minors to DCFS!! be careful!!! they might put her into foster system if shes not 18 yet!! the county offices WILL call child welfare when a minor comes in alone asking for benefits!!!

This is partially correct, but not the full picture. County offices *may* make a referral to child welfare, but it's not automatic for 17-year-olds, especially those close to turning 18. The primary goal is to ensure safety, not force foster care. Many counties have specialized programs for transitional age youth (16-24) that focus on independence rather than traditional foster care. Your sister should be honest about her situation but also make it clear she's seeking benefits to support herself independently.

When my daughter was in a similar situation (she was 17½), we found that the most helpful first step was going to a youth drop-in center rather than directly to DPSS. These centers understand teen homelessness and have relationships with eligibility workers who specialize in youth cases. They helped her get emergency CalFresh within 2 days AND temporary housing without involving DCFS (since she was so close to 18).\n\nMake sure your sister explains that she has absolutely no parental support or contact and is self-supporting (even though she has no income currently). That's key to being considered a separate household for CalFresh purposes.\n\nShe should also ask about the Restaurant Meals Program since she's homeless and may not have cooking facilities. This allows using EBT at certain restaurants in LA County.

Thank you! I didn't know about the Restaurant Meals Program - that would be really helpful for her current situation. Do you remember which youth center your daughter went to? There seem to be several in LA.

@originalpostergirl also tell ur sis that when she goes to apply she needs to check the box for EXPEDITED SERVICES on the calfresh form!!! thats how u get the emergency 3 day processing!!! if she dosent check that box they'll just process her application the regular way which takes foreverrrrr

Thanks for the tip! I'll make sure she knows to check that box specifically. She's so overwhelmed right now, these specific instructions really help.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - since she's had her ID stolen/kept by the ex-boyfriend, she should also ask about the CalFresh Identification Verification process. They can use alternative methods to verify her identity, including:\n\n- School records (if she can contact her school)\n- Prior benefit history if she was ever on benefits with your mother\n- Birth certificate requests (the county can help with this)\n- Collateral contacts (people who can verify who she is)\n\nThe county is required to help with this process. Don't let them turn her away just because she lacks ID. And if she's having trouble getting through to anyone on the phone, definitely try the Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier - getting a real person on the phone makes all the difference with these situations.

This is excellent advice. I'd also add that she should request an emergency replacement EBT card if she previously had one that the boyfriend is keeping. DPSS can cancel the old card and issue a new one on the spot at some offices.