i added my gf and her kid last year and they wanted everyting for both!!! so bring EVERYTHING you can think of - lease, birth certificates, id's, ssn cards, bills, paystubs, marriage license, bank statements, everything!!!! the welfare office in our county kept asking for more and more stuff and it took like 3 months to finally get them added and get the right benefits. so frustrating!!!

Hey Jade! Congratulations on your new baby and marriage! 🎉 I just went through this exact process 6 months ago when I added my partner and our baby to my case. Here's my advice based on what worked for me: **Bring copies of everything, not just originals!** They kept some of my documents and I'm so glad I had copies. **For timing on reporting changes:** Don't wait for your SAR7 - report household changes within 10 days. I know it seems scary but it's actually better to report right away. They'll do the income calculation and you might be pleasantly surprised - with the baby added, your family size increases which means higher income limits. **Important tip nobody mentioned:** Ask specifically about transitional childcare benefits when you're there. Even though your baby is young now, getting on the waitlist early is smart because there's often a waiting period. Also, bring a snack and water bottle - these appointments can take HOURS! Good luck mama, you've got this! 💪

u got lucky they had someone at the dropbox! at my county office the dropbox is just like a mail slot in the wall lol. no receipts or nothing. glad u got ur SAR-7 in on time tho!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea there were so many backup options when the BenefitsCal system fails. I've been stressed about submitting my first SAR-7 next month and was worried about what would happen if I ran into technical issues. Reading about the dropboxes, fax options, and the importance of documenting everything really helps me feel more prepared. It's frustrating that we have to deal with these system problems, but at least now I know I'm not alone and there are workarounds. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

Thank you all SO MUCH for the advice! I'm going to call my worker's office tomorrow (even though she's on vacation someone else should be covering) and also send an email AND a letter with my case number, new address and moving date. I'm also going to start gathering all my documents now so I have everything ready. I'll report back how it goes!

I went through an ICT from Orange County to San Bernardino about 6 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me. The key thing that saved me was getting everything in writing and keeping a paper trail. I sent my notification letter via certified mail AND email, then followed up with phone calls. One thing I learned is that you should ask for the name and contact info of your new caseworker in San Diego as soon as possible. Sometimes the counties don't communicate well with each other, so having a direct contact in the receiving county can help if things get delayed. Also, don't be surprised if San Diego asks you to provide some documents again even though Sacramento should have transferred everything. I had to resubmit a few things but it wasn't a big deal since I had copies ready. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me, which was pretty smooth compared to some of the horror stories I'd heard. Good luck with your move! Moving is stressful enough without worrying about benefit interruptions.

Reading through this whole thread as someone who just started receiving CalWORKs benefits last month - this is both incredibly helpful and really concerning! Isaac, I'm so relieved you finally got through and got your SAR 7 processed. The fact that it was just sitting in a queue for 3 weeks without anyone even looking at it really highlights how broken the system can be. I haven't had to submit my first SAR 7 yet, but now I know to be prepared for potential delays and to have a game plan. The tips about calling at 8am sharp and selecting "benefits not received" instead of general questions are gold - I'm definitely saving this post for reference. It's honestly shocking that we need to become experts at gaming the phone system just to get our basic benefits processed on time. The staffing shortage explanation makes sense of why this is happening, but it doesn't make it any less stressful when people are depending on these benefits for rent, food, and other necessities. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and strategies - this kind of real-world advice is invaluable for navigating the CalWORKs system!

This is such a valuable thread for anyone dealing with SAR 7 delays! Isaac, I'm really glad you were able to get through and resolve this before your rent was due. The fact that your form sat untouched for 3 weeks is unfortunately becoming way too common across California counties. For anyone else facing similar delays, I'd add a couple more tips: If you're able to visit in person, try going mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday) around 2-3pm when it's typically less crowded than mornings or Mondays/Fridays. Also, if you submitted your SAR 7 close to the deadline, make sure to mention that when you call - sometimes they can expedite processing for forms that were submitted on time but are at risk of causing benefit delays. The staffing shortages are real, but that doesn't mean we should accept weeks-long delays as normal. Keep advocating for yourselves and don't give up! Thanks to everyone sharing their strategies - this kind of community support makes such a difference.

Thank you everyone for the helpful answers! Really appreciate you all taking the time to explain. I'll mark my calendar for both the SAR7 at 6 months and the full recertification at 12 months. Going to start keeping a folder with all my important documents so I'm prepared when the time comes.

Just wanted to add one more helpful tip as someone who's been through several recertifications - if you have direct deposit set up, make sure your bank account info is still current when you do your recertification! I forgot to update mine after switching banks and it caused a delay in getting my benefits restored after recert. Also, if you're working or have any income changes during your certification period, keep all your pay stubs organized by month. They'll want to see everything during recertification and having it organized makes the process so much smoother.