SAR7 processing delay of 3 months - CalFresh benefits on hold and can't buy groceries

yes!! the same thing happened to me 2 months ago. the county is super backed up right now with all the recertifications. when I called they told me 2 weeks then when I called again they said 30 days. it's crazy how they expect us to eat without our benefits!!

This is definitely not normal processing time for a SAR7. By regulation, counties have 10 calendar days to process a complete SAR7. If your form was incomplete, they should have sent you a missing information notice within those 10 days. A few things I would recommend: 1. Ask for a supervisor when you call and explain the 3-month delay 2. Request an "expedited restoration" of your benefits due to hardship 3. Make sure they issue retroactive benefits for any months you were eligible 4. Check if your SAR7 was actually received - sometimes they get lost in the system You can also file for a state hearing if they don't resolve this quickly. You have a right to timely processing.

omg this is the exact reason I switched to uploading my SAR7 through the BenefitsCal website instead of mailing it. At least I get a confirmation number and can see when they receive it. Have you tried making an account there? much better than dealing with the paper forms getting "lost

This is completely unacceptable. Counties are required to process SAR7s within 10 days. I'd recommend calling and using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to skip the phone wait times and get directly to a caseworker. I was dealing with a similar issue last month and was on hold for HOURS before discovering this service. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Once you get through, specifically request to speak with a supervisor and mention you need an "expedited benefit restoration" due to hardship. Also ask them to document that you've been calling weekly without resolution. You should absolutely get retroactive benefits for the months you missed.

Similar situation happened with me but it was for recertification, not SAR7. The county is claiming massive backlog and staffing shortages. When you call back, use these exact words: "I am requesting an expedited resolution due to imminent hardship" and "I need immediate benefit restoration." These are trigger phrases that can bump your case up. Also ask for a "Case Alert" to be added to your file. They absolutely should give you benefits for all months you were eligible - request SPECIFIC dates for when the retroactive benefits will be loaded to your card. If they say "it's processing" without a date, they're stalling.

u can also try going into the office in person. sometimes thats the only way to get them to actually do anything. waited 4 months once for emergency calfresh and only got it when i showed up and refused to leave till someone helped me. bring all ur paperwork and the confirmation number from benefitscal.

I'm a former eligibility worker, and while there can definitely be delays, 3 months is completely unacceptable and likely violates several state processing requirements. Sometimes cases get stuck in an electronic queue and need to be manually pulled out by a supervisor. One thing to try: call the main CalFresh customer service line at 1-877-847-FOOD (3663) rather than your county office. They can sometimes escalate cases that are severely delayed. When you call your county office, ask for an "Immediate Need Resolution" and a "Processing Delay Review." Also, document EVERYTHING. Write down who you talk to, dates, times, and what they tell you. This will be important if you need to file a formal complaint.

This is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately way too common right now. Three months without benefits is a crisis situation! I went through something similar last year - not quite as long but still weeks without food assistance while they "processed" paperwork they already had. A few things that helped me get movement on my case: - When you call, immediately ask for the "Complaint Resolution Unit" - don't let them transfer you around to regular workers - Use the phrase "I am experiencing food insecurity due to administrative delay" - this creates urgency in their system - Ask them to put a "Priority Processing Flag" on your case - Get the supervisor's direct phone number so you don't have to go through the main line again Also, check if your area has any food banks or emergency food assistance while you're fighting this. I know it shouldn't be necessary, but you need to eat while they get their act together. Some churches and community centers also have emergency grocery vouchers. Don't give up - you deserve your benefits and they're legally required to process this in a timely manner. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these offices unfortunately.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - three months without benefits is absolutely unacceptable! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now where my recertification has been "pending" for over a month. The stress of not knowing when you'll be able to buy groceries is really taking a toll on my mental health. From what I've learned lurking in this community, it seems like the system is completely overwhelmed right now. I've seen so many posts about processing delays that should never happen. It's frustrating because we depend on these benefits to feed our families, and the county acts like it's no big deal to make us wait months. I'm planning to try some of the suggestions people have given you - especially calling that CalFresh customer service line and asking for expedited processing. Thank you for sharing your experience because it helps to know we're not alone in this struggle. I hope you get your benefits restored soon and that they give you everything you're owed retroactively!

Three months is absolutely outrageous! I'm a newcomer here but had to jump in because this hits close to home - my sister went through something similar last year in a different county. The system is seriously broken when people can't get basic food assistance processed in a reasonable timeframe. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're still getting the runaround after trying all these great suggestions, you might want to contact your local legal aid office. Many of them have attorneys who specialize in public benefits cases and can send a demand letter to the county. Sometimes that's what it takes to get them moving. Also, I noticed you mentioned you have kids - make sure to emphasize that when you call. Cases involving families with children are supposed to get priority processing, especially for hardship situations like yours. Hang in there and keep fighting! The fact that you uploaded through BenefitsCal with confirmation should work in your favor - they can't claim they never received it. You deserve better treatment than this, and I hope you get your benefits restored ASAP with full retroactive payments.

I'm new to this community but had to respond because your situation is absolutely unacceptable! Three months without benefits while they claim to be "processing" a form they received in February is beyond ridiculous. I've been reading through all the excellent advice here and wanted to add one more resource - if your county has an ombudsman office or client advocate program, that might be another avenue to escalate this. Some counties have these offices specifically to handle cases where regular channels aren't working. Also, when you do get through to someone, make sure to ask them to notate your file with "PROCESSING DELAY - CLIENT HARDSHIP" so there's a permanent record of this situation. That documentation could be important if you need to take further action. The fact that you have a BenefitsCal confirmation number should make this an open-and-shut case. There's no excuse for a 3-month delay when they have electronic proof of receipt. I really hope all these strategies help you get this resolved immediately - you and your family shouldn't have to suffer because of their administrative failures!