I just wanted to add something that might help - if you're worried about the father being unpredictable or causing problems, you can also request that all communication from the child support office goes through your caseworker instead of directly to you. This gives you an extra layer of protection and helps keep things organized. Also, when you do your CalWORKs interview, be completely honest about your concerns with your eligibility worker. They've seen it all and can guide you on whether your situation might qualify for good cause. Even if it doesn't initially seem like it would qualify, sometimes there are details that make a difference. One more thing - if you end up having to go through with child support and the father does start paying, that money belongs to your child regardless of your relationship with him. Try to think of it that way if it helps. You're advocating for your baby's financial security, not necessarily opening the door to a relationship you don't want.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year. I was terrified about listing my son's father because he had addiction issues and I was worried about what would happen if they contacted him. I ended up providing his information but immediately requested a good cause exemption. My eligibility worker was really understanding and gave me the CW 51 form to fill out. I documented his substance abuse history, erratic behavior, and concerns about him being around our child. The exemption was approved within a few weeks. The best part is that I still get my full CalWORKs benefits without having to deal with child support enforcement. My case has been much smoother since then. Don't let fear stop you from applying - there really are protections in place for situations like yours. Be honest about your concerns and advocate for yourself and your baby. Also, definitely use that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you need to call with questions. I wish I had known about it when I was going through this process!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the uncertainty is honestly the worst part. Just wanted to share that I went through something similar with my son who has special needs. The key thing that saved me was getting everything documented BEFORE the formal sanction process started. I learned that you can actually request a "pre-sanction conference" with your worker and their supervisor to discuss your barriers. During mine, I brought medical records showing my son's appointments and explained how his needs affected my availability. They ended up reducing my required hours from 30 to 20 per week and gave me a 6-month review period. Also, don't forget that travel time to and from WTW activities counts toward your hours - if you're spending time getting to appointments or job searches, make sure your worker knows and counts those hours too. Hang in there, and definitely get that medical documentation from your daughter's doctor as others mentioned!

I'm a new member here but I've been reading through all these responses and wanted to add something that helped me when I was in a similar situation. If you haven't already, make sure to ask your caseworker about the "Illness or Incapacity of Child" exemption. This is specifically designed for situations like yours where you're caring for a child with ongoing medical needs like chronic asthma. With proper medical documentation (the CW 61 form others mentioned), you might qualify for a complete temporary exemption rather than just reduced hours. I got a 90-day exemption when my daughter was going through a series of specialist appointments, and it gave me breathing room to get everything organized. Also, keep a detailed log of every medical appointment, pharmacy visit, and day your daughter is too sick for school - this creates a paper trail that shows the ongoing nature of her condition. The caseworkers respond much better when you can show patterns rather than just isolated incidents. Don't give up - there are more protections available than they usually tell you about upfront!

I'm in a similar situation - just got approved for CalWORKs last month and my caseworker rushed through the child support cooperation paperwork too! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful since I felt so lost about how this all works. One thing I want to add that I learned from calling DCSS directly - they told me that if your ex has been paying child support through the court system before you applied for CalWORKs, there might be a brief interruption in payments while they transfer the case to DCSS. Mine stopped for about 3 weeks during the transition, which was stressful, but then the payments resumed and I got my blue card. Also wanted to mention that the DCSS customer service rep told me they send text alerts when payments are deposited to your card, which is really helpful for budgeting. You have to opt in for the notifications when you activate the card. This whole thread has made me feel so much better about understanding the process. The $100 disregard seemed so small at first, but like others said, it's extra money on top of all my other benefits and it'll be the full amount once I'm back to work and off CalWORKs. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm also new to CalWORKs (just approved 3 weeks ago) and my caseworker gave me basically no information about how the child support piece works. Reading everyone's real experiences has answered so many questions I didn't even know I should be asking. A couple things I wanted to add from my research: 1. If you're worried about the timeline, you can actually check if your case has been referred to DCSS by logging into your CalWORKs account online (if your county has that option). There should be a section that shows the status of your child support cooperation. 2. I called my county's LCSA directly and they were actually more helpful than the main DCSS line. They could tell me exactly where my case was in the process and gave me a more realistic timeline based on my specific situation. 3. For anyone wondering about the $100 vs $50 amounts people mentioned - it depends on when your case was approved. California increased the disregard amount from $50 to $100 (and $200 for multiple kids) in 2019, so if someone got CalWORKs before then, they might remember the old amounts. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for actually getting practical information that the caseworkers don't always explain well!

Just wanted to add that you should also keep track of the dates and times of all your interactions with the investigator. Write down what they asked, what you told them, and any deadlines they gave you. If this drags on or if they make any decisions you disagree with, having a detailed timeline will be super helpful if you need to file an appeal or fair hearing request. Also, don't let them pressure you into admitting to anything you didn't do. Using your EBT card for legitimate grocery shopping while caring for your kids is exactly what the program is for. You're working AND taking care of your children - that's what CalWORKs is supposed to support. Stay strong and don't let them intimidate you into thinking you did something wrong when you clearly didn't.

I went through almost the exact same thing last year! The investigator made me feel like a criminal just for grocery shopping near my mom's house where I drop off my daughter for babysitting. It's so frustrating because you're literally doing everything right - working, arranging childcare, using your benefits for food - but they make you feel guilty about it. The investigation took about 6 weeks for me, but they cleared me completely once I provided documentation showing my living situation and childcare arrangement. Like others said, gather everything you can: lease agreement, utility bills, your work schedule, and definitely get something in writing from your sister about the childcare. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple calendar showing my work days and when I needed to use my sister's childcare, then matching it to my EBT usage dates. It clearly showed the pattern and proved I wasn't living somewhere else. Don't let them make you feel bad for being a responsible parent who's trying to work and take care of your kids. You're doing nothing wrong!

Congratulations on the new job! Just wanted to add something that might help - when you do get that written confirmation of your closure date, make sure it specifically states that your case is being closed due to "voluntary withdrawal" or "client request." Sometimes workers will code it differently (like "excess income" or "failure to comply") which can affect things like your ability to reapply quickly if you need to later. Also, since you mentioned CalFresh - that program has different rules and might stay open even after CalWORKs closes, especially if your new income is still within CalFresh limits. Definitely ask about that when you follow up!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something similar last month! I requested case closure when I got a job offer and was really worried about the timing too. The good news is they did honor the March benefits since I requested closure after the 10th, just like everyone is saying here. One thing that really helped me was asking my worker to send me an email confirmation of our conversation about the closure request - that way I had something in writing right away while waiting for the official NOA. Also, definitely keep track of your exact start date and first paycheck amount because if they ever question anything later, having those details documented will save you so much stress. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me from request to actual closure, so you should be all set for March! Congrats on the new job - it's such a relief to be moving forward!