I'm new to this community but had to respond because what you're experiencing is absolutely wrong! There is NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid - that worker either has no training or was deliberately misleading you. I've been helping my sister navigate the system and the lifetime limit is 48 months, period. The fact that your grant dropped from $221 to $22 without any Notice of Action is a huge red flag that this was their mistake, not a legitimate policy change. When you call back tomorrow, demand to speak with a supervisor immediately and don't accept any more made-up rules from untrained staff. I'd also suggest documenting everything - write down the date, time, and name of whoever gave you that false information about the 9-month limit. This kind of misinformation could literally make families homeless and that worker needs to be held accountable. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about being persistent and not backing down. You deserve your full benefits and shouldn't have to stress about rent because of their incompetence. This community has seen these errors get resolved successfully before - stay strong and keep fighting!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress! What that worker told you about a 9-month limit is completely false - there is absolutely NO such rule in CalWORKs. I've been receiving benefits in LA County for about 6 months now and this is the first time I've ever heard anything so ridiculous. The actual lifetime limit is 48 months total, not some made-up 9-month restriction. Your grant dropping from $221 to $22 without any proper written notice sounds like a major administrative error on their part. When you call back, definitely follow what others have suggested about asking for a supervisor immediately. Don't waste any more time with frontline workers who clearly don't know the basic rules. Make sure to ask specifically about: - Why you didn't receive a Notice of Action before the reduction - Whether your SAR7 was properly processed in their system - What documentation they have justifying this massive reduction If the phone route doesn't work, consider going to your local DPSS office in person with all your paperwork. Sometimes face-to-face interactions get better results. It's really disturbing how many people in this thread have experienced similar misinformation from LA County DPSS workers. You shouldn't have to become an expert on their own policies just to get what you're legally entitled to! Stay strong and keep fighting - this community clearly has your back and you're going to get this resolved.

That's such great news! I'm so relieved you finally got through and figured out what was causing the delay. A duplicate case - that's exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes technical issue that we would never know about without speaking to someone directly. The Immediate Need funds are a lifesaver too. I've been in similar situations where every day without benefits feels like forever when you're trying to feed your family and keep up with bills. Thanks for updating us with what worked! Your experience will definitely help other members who run into similar problems. It's a good reminder that sometimes the "pending" status doesn't tell the whole story and you really do need to keep pushing to get answers from a real person.

I'm so glad you got this resolved! The duplicate case issue is unfortunately more common than it should be - I've seen this happen several times when people reapply while they still have an existing case in the system. It's one of those technical problems that only gets discovered when someone actually digs into your account. Your persistence really paid off here, and getting the Immediate Need payment is huge! That $200 can make such a difference when you're waiting for regular benefits to kick in. For anyone else reading this who might face a similar situation, NebulaNova's experience shows why it's so important to keep trying different approaches - calling the main number instead of just your worker, asking specifically about emergency assistance, and not giving up when the online portal isn't giving you real information. The system has so many moving parts and sometimes things just get stuck without any clear indication of what's wrong. Hope your regular benefits come through right on schedule now that they've fixed the duplicate case issue!

I understand your concern about the CalWORKs application process for your child. This is actually an important distinction that needs clarification. When applying for CalWORKs, you should be truthful about who in the household is applying for benefits. If you know you don't qualify due to your probation violation, you should indicate that you're applying for your child only, not for yourself. The application should reflect that you are the parent/caretaker, but not seeking benefits for yourself. It's true that the system can verify probation status through background checks, but that doesn't mean you should mark that you're applying for yourself if you know you don't qualify. Accuracy on these forms is important. For your situation, here's what you should do: - On your next renewal or if you need to update information, clarify that you're only applying for your child - Consider contacting your eligibility worker to explain the situation and correct any misunderstanding - Your child can still receive benefits even if you don't qualify As for potential trouble from past applications, it would be best to proactively address this with your caseworker. Explain that you misunderstood the application question. They deal with application confusion regularly and can help you correct the information. In the long term, resolving your probation violation might be worth considering as it could allow you to qualify for benefits yourself.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation. It's really important to be honest on your applications to avoid any issues down the road. Since you know you don't qualify due to the probation violation, you should only be applying for your child, not yourself. When you fill out the application, you'd be listed as the caretaker/parent but not as someone receiving benefits. I'd strongly recommend calling your caseworker as soon as possible to clarify this situation. Explain that you may have been confused about the application process in the past and want to make sure everything is correct going forward. Most workers understand that these forms can be confusing and appreciate when people try to fix mistakes. Your child's benefits shouldn't be affected by this - kids can receive CalWORKs even when their parents don't qualify. The important thing is being upfront about it now. Also, have you looked into what it would take to resolve the probation violation? Sometimes there are programs or payment plans that can help clear these issues up, which could eventually make you eligible for benefits too. Don't panic about past applications - just focus on getting it right from here on out. Being proactive and honest with your worker is usually the best approach.

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my perspective as someone who recently navigated this exact situation! My partner and I weren't married but living together with our two kids, and I was so stressed about the child support enforcement issue when applying for CalWORKs. What really helped me was scheduling a pre-application consultation with my county's CalWORKs office (some counties offer this). The caseworker walked me through the difference between applying as a single-parent household vs. including my partner as part of our assistance unit. She explained that if we applied together, his income would count but they wouldn't pursue child support since he'd be part of our AU. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure to ask about the "needy family" criteria for two-parent households during your consultation. There are specific requirements about unemployment or underemployment that you'll need to meet. Since your boyfriend works part-time, you'll likely qualify, but it's good to understand exactly what they're looking for. Also, bring proof of your children's paternity (birth certificates showing him as father) to your interview - it helps establish the family unit relationship clearly from the start. The process took about 5 weeks for us, but having everything documented properly from day one made it much smoother. You've gotten such great advice here - you're definitely on the right track! Good luck with your application!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help since I'm currently going through a very similar situation. I have a 3-year-old and 6-month-old with my boyfriend, and we just successfully applied for CalWORKs as a family unit about two months ago. The biggest thing I learned is to be super organized with your documentation from the very beginning. We brought copies of EVERYTHING - lease with both names, utility bills, bank statements, his employment verification, pay stubs, birth certificates, even our CalFresh case printout showing we were already recognized as a household. The caseworker was really impressed that we came so prepared and it definitely sped up the process. One tip I don't think anyone mentioned yet - ask about getting your CalWORKs EBT card expedited once you're approved. Since you mentioned struggling with formula costs, they can sometimes rush the card processing if you explain you have urgent needs for baby supplies. We got ours in 3 days instead of the usual week. Also, the work requirements really aren't as overwhelming as they sound when you have little kids. They gave my boyfriend credit for his part-time hours plus some online training modules, and they were very understanding about scheduling around our childcare needs. You seem really well-prepared after reading all this advice - I'm confident it'll work out great for your family! This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating these programs.

I just wanted to add my experience since I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago! Everyone here is absolutely right - your CalFresh will decrease but you'll definitely have more money overall. In my case, I was getting $625 in CalFresh and when I got approved for $780 in CalWORKs, my food stamps dropped to around $390. So I ended up with about $545 more per month total, which was huge for my family. The biggest relief was finally being able to pay my rent on time and cover utilities without having to choose between keeping the lights on or buying groceries. I also love that I can use the cash aid for things like my kids' school clothes, gas for the car, and household supplies that I was previously trying to squeeze out of my grocery budget. One tip - during your interview, don't be afraid to ask your caseworker to explain everything clearly. Mine was really patient and walked me through exactly how they calculated my new amounts. Also, keep your confirmation numbers from BenefitsCal and take photos of any paperwork you submit - it saved me when they temporarily couldn't find part of my application. You're making a smart choice applying for both programs - the flexibility and extra support really does make a big difference!

I'm currently in the exact same situation and this whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was so worried about applying for CalWORKs because I thought it might mess up my existing CalFresh benefits, but seeing everyone's real experiences and actual numbers makes it clear that even though food stamps will go down, you end up way better off overall. The part about having cash flexibility for rent, utilities, and other necessities that food stamps can't cover is exactly what I need right now. I've been using my grocery money for things like laundry detergent and phone bills, which makes meal planning so much harder. Having actual cash for those expenses would free up my food stamps to go entirely toward actual food. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this kind of honest advice from people who've actually been through the process is so much more helpful than trying to decode confusing government websites! I'm definitely going to apply for both programs now and ask my caseworker to explain the calculations during the interview.