Benefits stolen in CA after moving to MI - CalWORKs cancellation and EBT theft reporting nightmare

You're in a tough spot but I can help clarify some things. First, about your stolen benefits - California does have a process for replacing stolen EBT benefits under their benefit theft replacement program, but you generally need to be in the state to complete the process (provide ID, sign forms, etc.). Not impossible from out of state, but definitely harder. For canceling CA benefits while in Michigan, you need to submit a written withdrawal request. You can do this by emailing or faxing a letter to your county CalWORKs office stating you've moved out of state and wish to cancel your benefits. Make sure to include your case number, full name, and new address. Ask them to email or mail you a confirmation letter that you can provide to Michigan. Regarding your August benefits - unfortunately, you can't have a CA EBT card mailed to an out-of-state address. The system doesn't allow it since California benefits are for California residents only. The key is getting that termination letter from CA as quickly as possible. If you keep having trouble reaching someone by phone, try emailing your former caseworker directly or contacting the county's ombudsperson.

When i moved from CA to Ohio last year I had similar issues. What worked for me was faxing (yes, fax lol) a letter to my old county office. i said i was permantly moving to another state and needed to close my case. took them like 10 days but they mailed me a closure notice that i gave to ohio. for the stolen benifits tho ur probably out of luck...they usually want u to come in person for that stuff. sorry about that part!

THEY DID THE SAME THING TO ME!!! I tried for WEEKS to get California to send me a closure letter when I moved to Nevada. The county workers don't care at ALL that you're stuck in limbo. I ended up having to drive all the way back to CA just to go to the office in person because no one would help me over the phone. It's like they WANT you to stay on benefits forever!!! The whole system is designed to fail us 😤

If you're struggling to get through to CalWORKs on the phone, you should try using Claimyr. It saved my sanity when I was dealing with a similar situation. Basically, their service gets you through the phone queue without you having to keep calling and waiting for hours. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE that shows how it works. I used it to finally reach someone at my county office when my benefits were on hold and I needed verification documents. You can check them out at claimyr.com - it's worth it when you're desperate to talk to a real person at the benefits office.

I work as a benefits advocate and see this situation frequently. To properly close your CalWORKs case when you've moved out of state: 1. Send a signed, written statement to your California county office stating you've moved permanently out of state (include date of move, new address, case number, full name, and DOB) 2. Request an official Notice of Action (NOA) showing case closure 3. Ask them to email you the NOA if possible (some counties will do this) 4. For your stolen benefits: File CA form CW 2217 for benefit theft replacement Regarding your specific questions: - Yes, you can potentially get reimbursed for stolen benefits even after moving, but it's more challenging and you'll need to complete additional verification steps remotely - No, California cannot mail an EBT card to an out-of-state address - Your August benefits may be accessible if you can arrange for someone in CA to receive your new card and overnight it to you (technically not recommended but people do it) Important: Make sure you're completely honest with Michigan about your pending California case. Interstate benefit coordination is taken very seriously, and non-disclosure could create problems later.

have u tried contacting BenefitsCal directly? sometimes they can process ur case closure faster than county office. just login to your benefitscal account and theres a section for reporting changes where u can report u moved out of state. they should generate the closure notice pretty quick that way

what about ur reporting? did u submit a SAR7 before u left? if ur still in the middle of ur reporting period they might hold up ur case closure if u didnt do ur final reporting

After I used Claimyr to reach my CalWORKs worker, I learned something important that might help you. You can actually request what's called an "inter-state transfer" rather than a full case closure. This can sometimes make the transition smoother between states. The worker needs to fill out specific paperwork that Michigan will recognize immediately. Also, for your benefit theft issue - California has extended the timeline for benefit theft claims during the post-pandemic period. Even if you're out of state, you have rights to those stolen benefits if you can prove the theft occurred while you were still a California resident. Don't give up! It took me about 3 weeks to get everything sorted when I moved states, but I eventually got my benefits transferred correctly.