That's a great idea. I think I've been getting mail reminders but they probably got mixed in with all the other mail. Will set up text alerts once this mess is fixed.

That's great news! So glad you got through to someone who could help. I set a calendar reminder on my phone now for every SAR 7 and recertification deadline after my experience. Never making that mistake again!

This is super helpful!! No one at the county office gave me ANY of this info. All they said was "don't share your PIN" which I NEVER did! I'm going to ask about direct deposit this week. Do you know if there's a specific form I need to fill out for that?

You'll need to fill out form CW 8 (Direct Deposit Authorization) and provide a voided check or a direct deposit form from your bank. Your worker should have this form, but if they don't, you can find it online by searching "California CW 8 form". Not all counties process these quickly, so follow up if you don't see action within a couple weeks.

Yes, CalWORKs typically requires cooperation with the Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) to establish paternity and pursue child support from the absent parent. HOWEVER - there are important exceptions for domestic violence situations! Your daughter can request a "good cause" exemption from the child support cooperation requirement if: - Cooperation would risk harm to her or the children - The children were conceived through rape or incest - She's in the process of adopting the children - Other compelling safety reasons If your friend was denied, she should have been offered the opportunity to claim good cause. She may want to reapply and specifically request the good cause exemption form. The county must evaluate these claims and shouldn't just deny benefits outright.

That would be so helpful! She's currently behind on rent and worried about eviction. I'll definitely have her ask about this program. Does she need to be approved for CalWORKs first before asking about housing support?

Yes, she needs to be a CalWORKs recipient first to qualify for the Housing Support Program. But once approved for CalWORKs, she should immediately tell her worker about her housing situation. If she's facing imminent eviction, she might also qualify for Homeless Assistance, which is emergency aid that can provide temporary shelter or help prevent eviction. If she's already received an eviction notice, bring that to the interview as it can help qualify for expedited processing of her application under hardship rules. The county can sometimes issue emergency payments to prevent homelessness while the regular application is being processed.

I didn't know the app showed pending deposits! That would help a lot with my anxiety about this. Going to download it right now, thanks for the tip!

You're right, I should have been clearer. I meant my regular Cash Aid payment, not a special COVID benefit. I started receiving CalWORKs during the pandemic and sometimes still call it that by mistake.

Yes, your CalFresh (food benefits) and CalWORKs (cash aid) both come on the same EBT card, but they're separate accounts on that card. When you use it at an ATM or for cash purchase, it takes from your cash account. When you buy food at a grocery store, it uses your food account. Thieves can steal from both accounts if they get your card info and PIN.

wait how do u get the text alerts?? i want that!

You have to call the EBT customer service number and ask for "transaction alerts" to be set up. You can choose the minimum amount you want to get alerts for. The worker recommended $25 but I set mine for any transaction over $10 just to be safe.