P-EBT card address issues - only received one for teen but not younger kids

This happened to a friend of mine last month. The P-EBT system sometimes has incorrect addresses because they pull from multiple databases that don't always sync correctly. Here's what worked for her: 1. Contact your children's school district office directly and confirm what address they have on file for ALL your children 2. Ask the school district to update their database if needed 3. Request that they notify the state that there was an address error 4. Submit a change of address form through the P-EBT portal (benefitscal.com) Sometimes the address error can happen if your kids are in different grade levels, even in the same district, because elementary and middle school data might be stored separately. The system might have updated one child's record but not the others.

omg the same thing just happened to me but with my twins!!! got one card but not the other and they keep saying the address doesn't match. so annoying!!!

I work with CalFresh and while P-EBT is a separate program, I've seen this issue repeatedly. The problem is often that the P-EBT database pulls from both school district records AND any existing benefits records (CalFresh, Medi-Cal, etc). If your teenager had any separate benefits application or was included in a different household grouping at any point, that could explain why their address updated correctly but not your younger children. Unfortunately, the P-EBT customer service representatives often have limited system access and literally cannot see your full record or make changes - they're only authorized to verify the exact address match. You'll need to: 1. Check your BenefitsCal account if you have one and verify all addresses there 2. Submit a P-EBT address correction form on the CDSS website 3. Follow up in 7-10 business days If that doesn't work, you may need to request a case escalation through your county office.

THE WHOLE PEBT SYSTEM IS A DISASTER!!! I've been fighting with them for 3 MONTHS trying to get my kids cards. They keep saying "it's processing" but nothing ever shows up. And yeah they REFUSE to verify any other way except address which is ridiculous because we moved twice in the past year due to rent increases. When I ask them how to update the address they tell me to wait for the card WHICH I CANT GET BECAUSE THE ADDRESS IS WRONG!!!! It's a completely broken system!!!

Have you tried going to your county CalFresh office in person? Sometimes they can help with P-EBT issues even though it's technically a different program. Bring all your documentation (kids' IDs, proof of address, etc) and they might be able to help sort it out or at least give you the right contact information. I had to do this when my nephew's card never arrived.

I've been dealing with a similar problem and spent HOURS trying to get through on their phone line. I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual P-EBT caseworker in less than 10 minutes. It basically holds your place in line and calls you back when a rep is available. Saved me so much time and frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once I got through to an actual caseworker (not just the basic call center person), they were able to escalate my case and fix the address issue within a week. The regular customer service people really have very limited access to help with these problems.

btw make sure you're calling the right number for P-EBT. there's the regular EBT number and the special P-EBT number and they're different. sometimes people call the wrong one and that's why they can't help

I wanted to add one more thing - when you talk to the school district, ask specifically about their "direct certification" system. This is what they use to identify students eligible for free/reduced meals, which is what P-EBT is based on. Sometimes there are errors in how that information is transmitted to the state. Also, P-EBT cards for different age groups sometimes get sent out in different batches. So it's possible your younger kids' cards are still coming in a later mailing. The address issue is still worth fixing, but I wouldn't panic just yet about the missing cards.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Just wanted to add that if you have any older P-EBT cards from previous years that worked fine, keep those handy when you call. Sometimes the customer service reps can reference the address from those older cards to help verify your identity, even if they can't tell you what address is currently in their system. Also, I found it helpful to keep a detailed log of every call I made (date, time, representative name if they give it, and what they told me). When I finally got someone who could help, having that record made it easier to explain all the steps I'd already tried. The whole system is definitely frustrating, but don't give up - your kids deserve those benefits!