Hi Alana! I'm so glad you found this community - everyone here has given you amazing advice! I went through CalWORKs approval about 8 months ago and just wanted to add one more thing that really helped me. If you're worried about making rent in 2 weeks, definitely ask about the "immediate need" or emergency assistance programs when you call tomorrow. My county had something called CAL-LEA (California Low-Income Energy Assistance) that helped with utilities, and some counties also have emergency rental assistance funds specifically for families waiting on benefit approvals. Also, when you go apply for CalFresh tomorrow, bring a rent receipt or lease if you have it - this helps prove your housing costs for the expedited processing that Aiden mentioned. The 3-day expedited CalFresh was honestly what kept us fed while waiting for everything else to process. One last tip - if you can, try to go to the office about 30 minutes before they open and be one of the first people in line. The workers are usually less rushed early in the day and more willing to take time explaining programs like the childcare assistance. You're handling this really well and asking all the right questions. The system is overwhelming but you've got a great support network here! Sending positive thoughts that everything processes quickly for you! 🤞✨

Hi Alana! I just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a county social services office (different county, but the processes are pretty similar across California). A few insider tips that might help: 1) When you go in tomorrow, ask to speak with a supervisor if the front desk staff can't give you specific information about your case status. Sometimes the eligibility workers have better access to real-time case updates. 2) Bring your ID and ask them to print you a "case summary" or "application status report" - this will show exactly what documents they have on file and what (if anything) is still pending. This prevents the "we're missing documents" runaround that others mentioned. 3) For the emergency rental assistance, the specific program to ask about is called "Cal-OES" (California Office of Emergency Services) rental relief, and many counties still have ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program) funds available. 4) Your CalFresh application can definitely be processed simultaneously - ask them to "link" your cases so when one updates, they both get reviewed. The childcare assistance is huge - don't let them gloss over it. Insist on getting the CCP-1 form and ask about "transitional childcare" which can continue even after you get stable employment and no longer need cash aid. You're doing everything right by being proactive. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with these programs, unfortunately. Keep advocating for yourself! 💪

I just went through this same process about 2 months ago in Riverside County! I was approved on a Thursday afternoon and my cash aid loaded on the following Monday morning - so 4 calendar days total but only 1 business day since it was over the weekend. For your PIN reset, definitely call the EBT customer service line at 1-877-328-9677 instead of trying to reach your caseworker. I was able to reset mine in under 10 minutes once I got through to a representative. Just have your card number and SSN ready for verification. One thing I learned is to call early in the morning (around 6-7 AM) to check your balance - the automated system is much less busy then and you'll get through faster. Also make sure you're listening for your CASH balance specifically since you mentioned having CalFresh before - they'll be separate amounts on the same card. If you don't see the money by Tuesday, I'd definitely call your caseworker and ask about expedited processing since your rent is due. Sometimes they can flag urgent cases for faster payment, especially if you're at risk of eviction. The ebtEDGE app is also really helpful - you can set up notifications so you'll know immediately when the deposit hits your account instead of calling constantly. Hang in there! Getting approved is definitely the hardest part and you're so close to having that financial relief. Most people seem to get their cash within 3-5 business days, so you should be good by early next week.

Congratulations on your approval! I went through this same situation about 4 months ago in Fresno County. I was approved on a Wednesday and saw my cash aid load on Friday morning - so just 2 business days. The timing can definitely vary by county and how busy they are, but 3-5 business days seems to be the norm from what I've experienced and heard from others. Since you were approved yesterday (Thursday), I'd expect to see it by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. For your PIN reset, absolutely use the EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) instead of trying to reach your county worker. I had the same issue and they reset my PIN in literally 2 minutes once I got through. Way better than navigating county phone systems! One tip that really helped me - download the ebtEDGE app and set up balance alerts. That way you'll get notified the moment your cash posts instead of having to call constantly to check. Also, when you do call to check your balance, make sure you're listening for the CASH balance specifically since your food stamps and cash aid are separate amounts on the same card. Since your rent is due soon, you might want to give your landlord a heads up about the slight delay. Most are understanding if you communicate proactively rather than waiting until the last minute. Good luck - the hardest part is definitely behind you now that you're approved!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ava. Navigating benefit changes while grieving and caring for four children is incredibly challenging, and your concerns are completely valid. You've received excellent advice here about the reporting requirements and how Social Security survivor benefits will affect your CalWORKs. The key points everyone has shared are spot-on - yes, you'll need to report within 10 days of receiving the first payment, and the $3,200 in survivor benefits will likely eliminate your Cash Aid since it exceeds your IRT. I want to add one suggestion that might help during this transition: consider reaching out to your local Legal Aid office or a benefits advocacy organization. They often have staff who specialize in helping families navigate the intersection of Social Security and CalWORKs benefits. They can review your specific situation and make sure you're getting all the benefits and protections you're entitled to during this change. Also, document everything during this transition - keep copies of all notices, write down what workers tell you, and save all correspondence. If there are any calculation errors or delays, having good records will help resolve issues faster. Your husband worked hard to provide this security for his children, and these benefits represent his ongoing care for your family. While the transition feels overwhelming right now, you're moving toward more stable support that will give your children security for years to come. You're being an excellent advocate for your family by asking these questions and planning ahead.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ava. Losing your partner while raising four children is unimaginably difficult, and having to figure out how different benefits work together during this time adds so much stress. You've gotten really comprehensive advice here about the Social Security survivor benefits and CalWORKs intersection. Everyone is right that you'll need to report within 10 days of your first payment, and with $3,200 in survivor benefits versus your $2,786 IRT, your Cash Aid will likely be eliminated completely. But I want to emphasize what others have touched on - this is actually your husband's final gift to your family. These survivor benefits will provide more stable, predictable income without the stress of work requirements, time limits, or constant reporting. That $3,200 is guaranteed monthly support that will grow with cost of living adjustments over time. One practical tip for the transition: when you report to your worker, ask them to walk you through exactly what will happen month by month. Will your Cash Aid stop immediately? Will there be a partial month calculation? Understanding the timeline will help you budget during the changeover period. Also, make sure you understand your CalFresh calculation too - that benefit uses different rules and might not be reduced as drastically as your Cash Aid. You're being such a strong advocate for your children by asking these questions and planning ahead. This transition is going to lead to more stability for your family in the long run, even though it feels scary right now.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help - I had a very similar situation happen to me about 3 months ago. My benefits suddenly showed $0 for the month but I was still active, and like you, I had no changes in income or household size. What ended up happening was that during a routine system update, my case got flagged for "manual review" even though nothing actually needed to be reviewed. The system automatically held my payment while this fake review was pending, but nobody bothered to tell me about it! I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above (it really does work - got me through in about 15 minutes after I'd been trying for days). The worker was able to see immediately that my case had been flagged in error and released the hold right away. My payment was on my EBT card the next business day. The frustrating part is that this could have been avoided if they had just sent me a simple notice saying "your case is under routine review, payment may be delayed." But apparently they don't always do that for administrative holds. Keep trying to get through - this really sounds like a system error that will be easily fixed once you reach the right person!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress! This sounds so similar to what happened to me about 8 months ago. I was showing as active but had $0 benefits for the month with absolutely no explanation or notice. I was terrified because I had no idea what was going on. After reading through all these responses, it really does seem like system errors and administrative holds are more common than we realize. In my case, it turned out my caseworker had left a note in my file about needing to "verify something" but never actually contacted me about it. The system automatically held my payment until this mysterious verification was completed. What finally worked for me was going to the office first thing in the morning and asking to speak with a supervisor instead of just any available worker. The supervisor was able to look at my case history and see that the hold was unnecessary - they cleared it immediately and I had my benefits within 24 hours. I know it's scary when you have bills due, but based on everything you've described, this really sounds like an administrative error rather than an actual problem with your case. The fact that you're still showing as active is definitely a good sign! Keep us posted on what you find out - these threads help so many people who face the same confusing situations.

Hey StarGazer101! I'm new here but I've been dealing with the same issue. I found that the LA County DPSS also has a text service that might help you get info faster than calling. You can text "CASE" to 211411 with your case number and they'll send you basic payment info. It's not as detailed as calling but at least you can get some info without waiting on hold forever! Also, if you go to any LA County library, they have computers where you can access your BenefitsCal account and sometimes the "pending transactions" section shows up better on the full website than on mobile. Hope this helps!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what worked for me recently! I was having the exact same problem trying to find out when my next CalWORKs payment was coming. After trying all the phone numbers people mentioned here, I finally had luck with a different approach. I went to my local DPSS office first thing in the morning (around 8:30 AM) and asked them to print out my payment schedule. The worker was super helpful and gave me a sheet showing all my upcoming payment dates for the next 3 months for both CalWORKs and CalFresh. She said they can always do this for you in person, even if you can't get through on the phone. It took about 15 minutes total including the wait. The office address finder is on the LA County DPSS website if you need to find your local office. Hope this helps other people who are struggling with the phone system!