CalWORKs Cash Aid dropped from $221 to $22 after 9 months - is this normal in LA County?

That information is completely wrong! There is NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. The lifetime limit is 48 months (used to be 60 but changed years ago). The only reasons your grant would drop that drastically are: 1. You didn't submit your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report) 2. Your income increased significantly and went over the IRT (Income Reporting Threshold) 3. Someone was removed from your case 4. There was a WTW (Welfare to Work) sanction applied Call back and ask to speak with a supervisor. Something is definitely not right, and whoever told you about a 9-month limit gave you completely incorrect information.

im in LA county 2 and been gettin cash aid for like 18 months straight no issues. still get full amount for me + my 2 kids. whoever told u that 9 month thing is crazy wrong!!

This is a classic case of misinformation from an untrained or confused eligibility worker. I've been dealing with the LA DPSS system for years, and there are specific reasons why your grant would be reduced: - If you recently started working, they may have calculated your income incorrectly - If you missed an appointment or didn't submit verification documents - If there was a change in your household composition they're accounting for - If they applied a Welfare-to-Work sanction because of missed WTW activities Request a Notice of Action explaining the reduction. They're required by law to send you written explanation before reducing benefits. If you didn't receive one, that's another issue to bring up when you speak to a supervisor.

OMG I HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN!!! They cut me from $373 to $34 last month and I was FREAKING OUT!!! Turns out they thought I didn't turn in a document but I actually did!!! It was THEIR mistake and they fixed it but I had to wait 2 weeks for the money!!! Call them back and DEMAND to talk to a supervisor!!! Don't let them tell you that 9 month garbage!!!!!

I've been having the hardest time getting through to LA County DPSS lately. After getting disconnected about 8 times trying to fix a similar issue, I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 10 minutes. You might want to check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE For your actual issue, definitely sounds like a mistake. I've been on CalWORKs for almost 2 years in LA County and never had any 9-month reduction. Ask for a supervisor and request an immediate correction since this was clearly their error.

they prolly put u on wat they call a "zero grant" where u get like almost nothing cuz of some issue. happened to me when they thought my bf was living with me (he wasnt). check ur mybenefitscal acct to see if theres any notices or case updates. sometimes the notices online before they even mail them to u.

my sister had somthing like this happen and it was cuz they didnt process her SAR7 even tho she turned it in. she got the receipt and everything! they fixed it but had to do some kinda emergency payment or something. make sure u have proof u submitted all ur paperwork!

Call ur worker and demand answers! This county makes so many mistakes i swear they hope people just give up and dont fight for their benefits!

Since you're in LA County and this appears to be an administrative error, you should also consider filing for a State Hearing if they don't resolve this quickly. You have 90 days from when the action took place to request one. While waiting for the hearing, you can also request Aid Paid Pending, which means they continue your regular benefits until the hearing decision. LA County DPSS has been experiencing significant staffing issues recently, resulting in more errors like this. Be persistent, document everything, and don't accept incorrect information from frontline staff who may not be properly trained.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone who's navigated the LA County system, I can confirm what others have said - there is absolutely NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. That worker gave you completely false information. A few things to try when you call back: - Ask for the worker's name and ID number - Request to speak with a supervisor immediately - Ask them to explain in writing why your grant was reduced - Request they review your case file while you're on the phone If you can't get through by phone, try going to your local DPSS office in person. Sometimes face-to-face gets faster results. Bring copies of all your recent paperwork (SAR7, any verification docs, etc.) and ask them to print out your case history. This sounds like either a data entry error or someone mixed up your case with another client's. These mistakes happen way too often in LA County unfortunately. Stay strong and keep pushing - you deserve your full benefits!

I'm new here but had to chime in because this exact same thing happened to my neighbor last month! She got her CalWORKs reduced from $285 to $28 with no explanation, and when she called they told her some nonsense about a time limit too. Turns out they had flagged her case for "failure to cooperate" even though she had done everything required. She ended up having to go to the office in person with all her paperwork and receipts. The supervisor there admitted it was their mistake and fixed it within a few days. She also got backpaid for the amount they shorted her. Don't give up! That 9-month thing is absolutely not real. I've been on CalWORKs for over 2 years and never heard of anything like that. Keep calling back and asking for supervisors until someone who actually knows the rules helps you. You shouldn't have to suffer because of their training failures!

This is absolutely outrageous! There is NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid - whoever told you that either has no idea what they're talking about or was deliberately trying to mislead you. The lifetime limit is 48 months, period. I've been dealing with LA County DPSS for years and this kind of misinformation from undertrained staff is unfortunately way too common. Your grant dropping from $221 to $22 without proper notice is a serious violation of your rights. Here's what you need to do immediately: 1. Call back first thing tomorrow and refuse to speak with anyone except a supervisor 2. Demand they explain in writing why your grant was reduced 3. Ask for your case to be reviewed while you're on the phone 4. Request a Notice of Action if you didn't receive one (they're legally required to send this) If they don't fix this over the phone, go to your local DPSS office in person with copies of all your paperwork. Bring your SAR7 receipt, any verification documents, and ask them to print your case history right there. You may also want to file for a State Hearing if they don't resolve this quickly - you have 90 days and can request Aid Paid Pending to continue your benefits while it's being resolved. Stay strong and don't let them intimidate you with false information. You deserve your full benefits!

I'm new to this community but had to respond because what happened to you is absolutely unacceptable! I work as a benefits advocate in LA County and can confirm 100% that there is NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. That worker either needs serious retraining or was deliberately giving you false information. Your situation sounds like a classic case of what we call an "erroneous reduction" - where DPSS makes a mistake in calculating your benefits or processing your case. The sudden drop from $221 to $22 without proper notice is a violation of due process rights. When you call back, here are some specific things to ask for: - Your "Notice of Action" (NOA) explaining the reduction - A supervisor to review your case immediately - Your Income Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) report to check for any income discrepancies - Confirmation that your SAR7 was properly processed If they can't resolve this over the phone, request an "Expedited Service" review since this appears to be their error. You can also contact the LA County DPSS Director's office at (877) 481-1044 to file a formal complaint about the misinformation you received. Don't let them bully you with fake rules - you know your rights and this community has your back!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! That 9-month limit information is completely false - there's no such rule in CalWORKs. I've been receiving benefits in LA County for over a year now and my payments have been consistent the whole time. This sounds exactly like what happened to my cousin a few months ago. Her grant got cut from $340 to $25 with no warning, and when she called they gave her some made-up story about new restrictions. Turns out they had incorrectly flagged her case for "non-compliance" even though she had submitted everything on time. She had to be really persistent - it took calling back 4 different times before she got someone who actually knew what they were doing. The supervisor who finally helped her was shocked at the misinformation she'd been given and got it fixed within 48 hours. She also received the back pay for what they had incorrectly reduced. My advice: call first thing in the morning when the lines open and immediately ask for a supervisor. Don't waste time with the first-level workers who clearly aren't properly trained. Bring up that you never received a Notice of Action about the reduction - that's a big red flag that shows this was their mistake. Stay strong and don't give up! You deserve your full benefits and this community is here to support you through getting this resolved.

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this - what you were told is absolutely incorrect! I've been on CalWORKs in LA County for almost 3 years now and there is definitely no 9-month limit. The only lifetime limit is 48 months total, not 9 months at a time. Your situation sounds like a processing error or system glitch. I've seen this happen to other people in our community where benefits get drastically reduced due to administrative mistakes. The fact that you didn't receive any advance notice (Notice of Action) is a major red flag that this was their error, not a legitimate policy change. When you call back tomorrow, definitely ask for a supervisor immediately and request they review your entire case while you're on the phone. Also ask them to check if your SAR7 was properly processed in their system - sometimes documents get "lost" even when you have confirmation of submission. If the phone calls don't work out, consider going to your local DPSS office in person with all your paperwork. Sometimes face-to-face interactions get faster results than trying to resolve things over the phone. You've got this! Don't let them intimidate you with fake policies. This community has seen these kinds of errors get resolved successfully many times before.

I'm so sorry you're going through this! What you were told is completely false - there is absolutely NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. I've been receiving benefits in LA County for over 2 years now and have never experienced any automatic reduction like that. The worker who gave you that information was either severely misinformed or possibly trying to discourage you from pursuing your rightful benefits. The actual lifetime limit for CalWORKs is 48 months, not 9 months, and your grant shouldn't drop that drastically without a legitimate reason and proper written notice. This sounds like a classic administrative error that unfortunately happens way too often in LA County. When you call back tomorrow, definitely ask to speak with a supervisor right away and don't accept any more made-up policies from frontline staff. Request they review your case immediately and provide written documentation for any changes to your benefits. Also make sure to ask about getting a Notice of Action explaining the reduction - they're legally required to provide this before making changes to your benefits. If you didn't receive one, that's another violation you can point out. Keep fighting for what you're entitled to! This community has seen these kinds of errors get resolved successfully before, and with persistence you should be able to get your full benefits restored.

I'm new to this community but I had to respond because what you experienced is absolutely infuriating! That 9-month limit story is complete nonsense - I've been on CalWORKs in LA County for 16 months now and my benefits have never been reduced for any time-based reason. What really gets me is that they're giving you this misinformation when you're already struggling financially. That $200 difference could mean the difference between making rent or not! It's like they're hoping you'll just accept it and walk away. Everyone here has given you great advice about demanding to speak with supervisors and getting everything documented. I just want to add - if you do end up having to go to the DPSS office in person, try to go early in the morning right when they open. The wait times are usually shorter and the staff tends to be less overwhelmed. Also, don't let them rush you off the phone or out of the office until your issue is completely resolved. You have every right to sit there until someone who actually knows the rules can help you properly. This whole situation shows how broken the training is at LA County DPSS. It's unacceptable that caseworkers are giving out false information that could cause people to lose housing or go hungry. Stay strong and keep fighting - you deserve your full benefits and this community is rooting for you!

I'm really sorry this happened to you! What that worker told you is completely wrong - there is absolutely NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. I've been receiving benefits in LA County for over 14 months now and have never had any automatic reductions like that. The actual lifetime limit is 48 months total, not some made-up 9-month rule. Your grant dropping from $221 to $22 without proper written notice sounds like a major administrative error or system glitch. When you call back tomorrow, ask for a supervisor immediately and don't waste time with frontline workers who clearly aren't properly trained. Request they review your entire case while you're on the phone and ask specifically about: - Whether your SAR7 was properly processed - If there were any income reporting issues - Why you didn't receive a Notice of Action before the reduction If phone calls don't work, consider going to your local DPSS office in person with all your paperwork. Sometimes face-to-face gets faster results. Stay strong and keep pushing - this community has seen these kinds of errors get resolved successfully before. You deserve your full benefits and shouldn't have to stress about rent because of their mistakes!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress! What that worker told you is absolutely false - there is NO 9-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid. I'm a newcomer to this community but I had to speak up because this kind of misinformation is so harmful. I've been researching CalWORKs policies extensively as I navigate the system myself, and the lifetime limit is definitely 48 months, not 9 months. Your grant dropping that dramatically without proper notice sounds like a serious administrative error. From reading all the responses here, it seems like LA County DPSS has major training issues with their frontline staff giving out completely incorrect information. It's unacceptable that you're having to stress about rent because of their mistakes. When you call back tomorrow, definitely follow the advice others have given about demanding a supervisor immediately. Don't let them give you any more made-up policies. You deserve your full benefits and proper explanations for any changes. This community seems incredibly knowledgeable and supportive - I'm glad you found this place to get real information instead of the nonsense that worker fed you. Stay strong and keep fighting!