P-EBT representatives giving conflicting information about my kids' cards - one says cards issued, another says my children aren't in system?

Same thing happened to me last month!! First rep told me my kids' cards were being mailed out on the 15th, second rep said they weren't eligible at all! I was ready to lose my mind. Turns out the FIRST rep was right - cards showed up about 10 days after that first call. The second person just didn't know how to check the system properly or something. Keep calling until you get someone who can actually help. The whole P-EBT system is a MESS.

this hapens alot with p-ebt. they dont train the workers good enough to use their system. my neighbor had same problem but her cards came anyway even after they said no cards coming. just wait a week and check ur mail

This confusion is unfortunately common with P-EBT because the system operates differently than regular CalFresh. P-EBT cards are actually issued through a collaboration between CDE (California Department of Education) and CDSS, using school meal program data. Here's what's likely happening: The first representative was looking at the initial eligibility file (showing your children are approved for issuance), while the second representative may have been looking only at cards that have completed processing and have been assigned numbers in the mailing system. I recommend calling again and specifically asking them to check the "pending issuance" status rather than just looking for active cards. If your children are on free or reduced-price school meals, they should qualify. Also, P-EBT cards for 2025 are being issued in phases by age group, so depending on your children's exact ages, they might be in different batches.

wait p-ebt is different from calfresh right? i get calfresh but never got p-ebt for my kids. how do i apply for that?

I've had TONS of issues with the P-EBT phone system. The main problem is that different reps have access to different screens or information, and they're not always trained on the full system. I'd recommend calling again but this time try these exact phrases: 1) "Can you check if my children are in the ENROLLMENT file for P-EBT?" 2) "Can you verify if cards have been GENERATED in the system?" 3) "Can you check if my children's cards have been ORDERED for mailing?" These are three different stages in their system. Also, ask them to check by BOTH your address AND your children's names - sometimes one search method works when the other doesn't. By the way, if you're having trouble getting through on the phone lines, I found this service called Claimyr that calls for you and gets you through to a human representative way faster. Saved me hours of frustration. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or just go to claimyr.com. It's been a lifesaver with all these P-EBT card issues.

My experience with P-EBT has been rough too. Last time I called they told me my kids were getting cards, but nothing ever came. When I called back, they said there was a "system issue" that affected "some households" and they had to reprocess those cards. Maybe you're in the same boat? Try asking if there were any system issues that might have affected your household's cards. That might explain why one rep saw them and another didn't.

I work at an elementary school and we've been getting lots of calls from parents with similar issues. From what I understand, P-EBT issuance for 2025 is happening in waves, and there's about a 3-week processing time between when a child is approved in the system and when their card is actually printed and mailed. During that time, some representatives can see that they're approved while others might only see completed card issuances. One thing that's helped our families: if you ask the rep to check your case by your home address rather than children's names, they sometimes get better results. Also, if your children qualified for P-EBT in previous years, mention that - it can help them locate your file in their system.

just be careful becuz sometimes they send the cards but they dont have money on them yet. my sister got cards for her kids but no benefits loaded for like 2 weeks after