Pregnant 20-year-old denied separate CalFresh household status while living with parents - how to fix?

Unfortunately, this is correct. CalFresh has a rule that if you're under 22 and living with your parents, you must apply together as one household regardless of how you buy and prepare food. This is called the "under 22 rule" and it's federal, so there's no county-by-county variation. This applies even if you pay rent and buy/cook separately. The only exceptions would be if: 1. She's married to her boyfriend 2. She already has another child (not just pregnant) 3. She receives her own TANF/CalWORKs benefits

i had the EXACT same problem when i was 21!!! so annoying! the only way around it is to either get married (we did a courthouse thing) OR move out. the system is so rigged against young parents its ridiculous!! like why even ask if we purchase and prepare food separaetly if they dont care?!?!

Your cousin should definitely apply for CalWORKs (California's cash aid program). Since she's pregnant, she can qualify in the last trimester without having to include her parents - this is different from the CalFresh rules. Once approved for CalWORKs, she would then be considered a separate household for CalFresh purposes too, regardless of the under-22 rule. She should emphasize on her CalWORKs application: 1. That she's pregnant and in third trimester (or will be soon) 2. That she is financially responsible for herself 3. That she pays rent to her parents This is one of those situations where the order of applications matters. Apply for CalWORKs first, then once approved, apply for CalFresh.

She should apply for CalWORKs now because the application process can take 30+ days anyway. She can indicate her due date on the application. And yes, she would need to include her boyfriend's income on the CalWORKs application since they're a couple living together with a child in common (pregnancy counts). But there's another option too - the Pregnant Women Only CalWORKs. If her boyfriend's income is too high for regular CalWORKs, she might still qualify for this special program which only provides aid for her (not the whole family unit). The income limits are higher and it provides a smaller cash grant, but it would establish her as a separate household for CalFresh purposes.

ALSO she should look into WIC right away!!! thats one program that doesnt care about living with parents or not. its separeate from calfresh, its specifically for pregnant women and kids under 5. they give u vouchers for healthy foods like milk eggs and cheese and stuff. she qualifies for that 100% while pregnant and the income limits r way higher then calfresh!

The whole "under 22" rule is honestly so stupid. I work with benefit programs and see this issue constantly. What happens when someone turns 22? Magically they can cook separately? It's just arbitrary. But yes, the CalWORKs route is the best option here. Remember that for the Pregnant Woman Only CalWORKs program, the cash benefit is smaller (like $300/month) but it's better than nothing AND it breaks that connection to her parents for CalFresh purposes. One other thing - even when she applies for CalWORKs, they might incorrectly try to count her parents at first. Be prepared to reference the exact policy (MPP Section 82-808.1) which states that pregnant women can be separate from their parents for CalWORKs purposes. Some workers don't know all the exceptions to the rules.

Wait why doesnt she just apply for calfresh using only her bfs income? Thats what my girlfriend did when we lived with her mom. We didnt tell them about her mom at all just said we buy our own food which was true.

Thank you all so much for the advice! We're going to try this plan: 1. She'll apply for WIC this week (already made appointment) 2. She'll apply for the Pregnant Woman Only CalWORKs program and specifically ask for that 3. Once she gets CalWORKs, apply for CalFresh as a separate household I'll let you know how it goes. Really grateful for all the detailed explanations about these confusing rules!

Just wanted to add that if she runs into any issues with the CalWORKs application, she can also contact her local legal aid organization. Many counties have advocates who specialize in helping people navigate benefit applications, especially for pregnant women. They know all the rules and can sometimes even attend appointments with you or make calls on your behalf. In my experience, having an advocate involved really speeds things up and makes sure workers apply the correct policies. Also, keep copies of everything - applications, denials, approvals - because these cases can get complicated and you might need to reference things later!