I'm currently going through this exact transition and wanted to share what I've learned so far to hopefully help others. I was approved for SSDI last month ($1,240/month) and was really stressed about losing my CalWORKs benefits for me and my two kids. After reading through this amazing thread and talking to my worker, here's what actually happened: They discontinued my individual CalWORKs but immediately set up a child-only case for my kids. The child-only grant ended up being $624/month, which combined with my SSDI actually puts us in a better financial position than before! A few key things I learned: - Report your SSDI approval immediately when you get the award letter, don't wait for the first payment - Be very specific about asking for a "child-only case" - my worker initially just wanted to close everything until I mentioned this option - The income calculations are totally different for child-only cases, so don't assume you'll be worse off financially - My CalFresh did decrease from $289 to $203, but we still qualify for benefits - Most importantly - I no longer have to deal with WTW requirements since I'm excluded from the assistance unit! For anyone waiting to get through to their worker, I had success calling right at 8am on a Tuesday. Also keep all your SSDI paperwork organized because they'll want to see everything. The transition was way less scary than I expected once I knew what to ask for. Hang in there everyone!

I'm going through this exact same situation and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I just received my SSDI approval notice two days ago ($1,189/month) and I've been on CalWORKs with my three kids for about 8 months. I was honestly panicking thinking we'd lose everything, but reading all these real experiences has given me so much hope. The most important thing I'm taking away is that I need to be proactive about asking for the child-only case option rather than assuming my worker will automatically know to do this. It's both reassuring and frustrating to see how many people had to specifically advocate for this - but at least now I know what to ask for! I'm planning to call first thing Monday morning (8am sharp based on everyone's timing advice) with all my SSDI paperwork ready. My main questions for my worker will be: 1) Setting up a child-only case for my kids, 2) Making sure my Medi-Cal stays active, 3) Understanding how this affects my CalFresh, and 4) Getting everything properly documented in my case file. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone dealt with this transition while also having childcare assistance through CalWORKs? I'm currently getting help with daycare costs for my youngest and I'm hoping that continues under a child-only case since I'll still need childcare to manage my disability appointments and treatments. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences so openly. This community support is incredible and I feel way more prepared to navigate this transition now!

Reading through all these responses has been so educational! I'm a new CalWORKs recipient and had no idea about the Homeless Assistance program until seeing this thread. It's concerning that this crucial information isn't being shared proactively during the application process. For anyone else who might be in a similar situation in the future, I found this thread incredibly helpful in understanding: - The difference between temporary and permanent homeless assistance - The once-in-a-lifetime limitation (which is really important to know!) - The specific documents needed and timeline for emergency processing - Alternative resources like 211 and legal aid partnerships @Ava Rodriguez - I hope your payment processes smoothly! You've been such a great advocate for yourself and your kids by acting quickly and getting all the right documentation together. Please keep us updated on how everything turns out. This community is amazing - the level of detailed, practical advice from people with real experience is invaluable. I'm definitely saving this thread for future reference and sharing it with other families I know who might benefit from this information. Thank you to everyone who took time to share their knowledge and experiences! 🙏

This thread is exactly why I love this community! @Ava Rodriguez, I'm so relieved you got your application submitted and that your landlord is willing to work with you while the payment processes. I wanted to add one more resource that helped me when I was struggling with housing costs - the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) that someone mentioned earlier. It's different from the emergency Homeless Assistance and provides ongoing rental subsidies (up to $500/month in some counties) to help prevent future housing crises. You have to meet certain requirements like being at risk of homelessness or spending more than 80% of your income on housing, but it sounds like you might qualify. Also, since you mentioned losing your part-time job, make sure to ask about the Welfare-to-Work (WTW) program services. They can help with job search assistance, education/training programs, and even provide supportive services like transportation and childcare while you're looking for work. The fact that so many people in this thread didn't know about these programs until they were in crisis really shows how much the system needs to improve communication. But I'm so grateful for communities like this where we can share real experiences and help each other navigate these challenges. Keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly with your payment! 🤞

Just wanted to add one more resource that helped me a lot when I was going through the CalWORKs application process - your local Family Resource Center! Most counties have them and they offer free help with filling out applications, understanding all the requirements, and even childcare during appointments. I was a single mom working part-time at Target when I applied, and the advocate at my FRC literally sat with me while I filled out the online application and helped me gather all the documents. She also knew which eligibility workers were more patient and helpful, which made a huge difference. You can usually find your local FRC by googling "[your county] Family Resource Center" or asking your CalFresh worker for a referral. Some even have emergency food pantries and free diapers while you're waiting for your benefits to get approved. Also, since you mentioned your kids are young, don't forget to ask about the CalWORKs diaper allowance! It's not much (around $30/month I think) but every little bit helps when you're stretching every dollar. You're asking all the right questions and being such a good advocate for your family. The system is complicated but you're going to figure it out!

Aurora, you've gotten incredible advice here! As someone who's been through this whole process, I just want to emphasize that you're doing everything right by asking questions and gathering information first. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you get approved for CalWORKs, they'll issue you an EBT card that works for both your CalFresh benefits AND your cash aid. The cash portion can be withdrawn from ATMs or used like a debit card at most stores. Just be careful about ATM fees - try to use ones at banks or credit unions that don't charge fees to avoid eating into your benefits. Also, since you're working at Walmart, you might want to ask your HR department about their employee assistance programs. Some big employers have partnerships with local agencies that can help you navigate benefits applications or provide additional emergency assistance. It's worth checking! Keep all your documents organized in one folder - you'll need them for your initial application, the interview, and then ongoing reporting requirements. Having everything in one place will save you so much stress down the road. You've got this mama! Your kids are lucky to have someone who's working so hard to make sure they have what they need. The system is complicated but you're clearly smart and determined enough to figure it out.

Congratulations on your new baby! I just went through this same process about 2 months ago when my son was born. Here's what happened in my case: The CalFresh increase showed up on my EBT card within about 10 days on my regular issuance date. The cash aid took a bit longer - about 2 weeks - but like others have mentioned, you do get backpay from your baby's birth date which was such a huge relief when it finally came through. One thing that really saved me stress was discovering you can check the status of pending changes in your BenefitsCal account. Look for the "Case Actions" or "Pending Changes" section - it will show whether they're still processing your baby's addition or if it's been completed. This way you don't have to keep calling just to get status updates. Since your rent is due next week, definitely stress that urgency when you call your worker back tomorrow. Ask specifically about emergency rental assistance programs - many counties have one-time emergency funds that can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for your increased benefits to process. They don't always mention these programs unless you ask directly. Also, try calling right at 8am when the offices open - that's when I had the best luck getting through to a real person without waiting on hold for hours. And keep all your documentation - screenshots of submissions, confirmation numbers, call dates, etc. If there are any processing delays, having that proof makes everything much easier to resolve. The $30 diaper allowance will be automatically included in your regular cash aid amount, not sent separately. And don't forget to update WIC with your new baby's info too since they process independently from CalWORKs. Hang in there! I know the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're already financially stretched with a newborn, but based on everyone's experiences here, it should come through within the next week or two.

Congratulations on your new baby! I just went through this exact process about 8 weeks ago when my daughter was born, so this is all still very fresh for me. Here's what happened with my case: The CalFresh increase showed up on my EBT card within about a week on my regular issuance date. The cash aid took longer - almost 2.5 weeks - but I did get the backpay from her birth date just like everyone mentioned, which was such a huge help when it finally processed. One thing I found super helpful was setting up text alerts in my BenefitsCal account so I'd get notifications about any case updates. You can also check the "Pending Changes" section to see the status without having to call constantly. When I checked mine, it showed "Processing" for about 10 days before switching to "Approved." Since your rent is due next week, definitely call your worker first thing at 8am (best time to get through) and explain the urgent situation. Ask specifically about emergency rental assistance - my county had a program that could provide one-time help while waiting for benefit increases. They didn't mention it initially, so I had to ask directly. Also, make sure to document everything - I took screenshots of all my uploads and saved confirmation numbers, which saved me when there was a small glitch with processing. The $30 diaper allowance gets added right into your regular cash aid, not as a separate payment. Hang in there! The waiting is so stressful with a newborn and tight finances, but it sounds like you did everything right by reporting quickly and uploading all the documents. It should process within the next week or so based on what I've seen.

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone still reading this thread - I was in almost the exact same situation as the original poster last year. Zero work income, two kids on CalWORKs, and I was convinced I couldn't file taxes. Turns out I was totally wrong! I went to a VITA site and ended up getting back about $2,200 just from the Child Tax Credit and California's Young Child Tax Credit. The volunteer there explained that California actually has some of the most generous tax credits for families with young children, even without earned income. The whole process was free and took maybe 90 minutes. They even helped me set up direct deposit so I got my refund in like 10 days. Honestly wish I had known about this years ago - I probably missed out on thousands of dollars over the years by not filing. Don't make the same mistake I did! Even if you think you don't qualify for anything, it's worth getting a free consultation at a VITA site. They know all the rules and can tell you exactly what you're eligible for.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a single mom on CalWORKs with a 2-year-old and had no idea I could still file taxes without working. I've been missing out for years thinking you only file if you have a job. One thing I'm wondering - for those who got refunds without earned income, did you need to save any specific paperwork from CalWORKs throughout the year? Like benefit statements or anything? I tend to just throw away most of the mail from the county once I know my benefits are continuing, but now I'm worried I might need some of that documentation for tax filing. Also, does anyone know if there's a deadline for filing? I know regular tax deadline is April but since I don't technically owe anything, is there a rush to get this done? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the system alone!