CalWORKs Diaper Stipend vs Monthly $30 payment - confused about what I'm receiving
I'm getting $30 extra in my CalWORKs benefits every month but I'm not sure if this is the diaper allowance? I have a 14-month-old and started noticing this extra amount about 3 months ago. My caseworker never mentioned anything specific about a diaper benefit when I applied. Is the CalWORKs diaper stipend supposed to be $30/month? I want to make sure this money is actually for diapers and not some other benefit that they might ask me to verify or pay back later. Has anyone else with a baby/toddler noticed this extra amount in their cash aid?
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Rajan Walker
Yes, that $30 is most likely the CalWORKs Diaper Benefit! It's specifically for children under 3 years old who are on CalWORKs. The benefit is $30 per month per eligible child and is automatically added to your cash aid amount. You don't need to verify how you spend it, it's just assumed you're using it for diapers. The program started in 2020 and became permanent, so it's a regular part of CalWORKs now for families with kids under 3.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
AuthorThank you so much! That's a relief to know. So I'll keep getting it until my son turns 3? Do I need to report anything special on my SAR7 about this?
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Nadia Zaldivar
im getting the same thing for my twins. 60 bucks extra each month. its for diapers and my worker told me about it when my babies were born last year. but honestly 30 bucks barely covers a week of diapers lol
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Lukas Fitzgerald
For real! Especially if ur baby has sensitive skin and needs the more expensive kind. I spend like $80-100 a month on diapers for just one kiddo. Better than nothing I guess but they should make it at least $50.
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Ev Luca
I think I was getting that too but it randomly STOPPED last month and my benefits dropped by $30!!! Did anyone else have this happen? My daughter is only 2 so she should still qualify. I've been calling the county office for TWO WEEKS straight and can't get through to anyone. Every time I call they put me on hold and then it disconnects after like 45 minutes. I'm about to lose my mind over this!!
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Avery Davis
Have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that holds your place in the phone queue and calls you back when a real person is available. Saved me so many hours of waiting on hold with the CalWORKs office! I was in the same boat trying to figure out why my benefits changed and couldn't get through for days. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it for getting someone on the phone who can actually fix your case.
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Collins Angel
its confusing bc everyone calls it different things. some workers call it diaper benefit, others call it diaper stipend, and my worker calls it diaper assistance. but ya its $30 per kid under 3 years old who gets calworks. u dont have to prove u bought diapers or anything with it which is nice.
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Marcelle Drum
To clarify for everyone: The CalWORKs Diaper Benefit is indeed $30 per month per child under age 3 who is included in the CalWORKs assistance unit. A few important points: 1. It's automatically added - you don't need to apply separately 2. It continues until the month the child turns 3 years old 3. You should see it itemized on your Notice of Action as "Diaper Benefit" 4. This is different from the TANF diaper bank program 5. The money isn't tracked - you can use it for any child needs 6. If you have multiple eligible children, you get $30 for each one If it stopped suddenly and your child is still under 3, that's almost certainly an error in your case. Ask for a supervisor when you call since regular eligibility workers sometimes aren't familiar with all the special benefits.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
AuthorThis is super helpful! I just checked my Notice of Action and it does say "Diaper Benefit" but I never noticed that line item before. Glad to know it's automatic and I don't have to do anything special to keep getting it.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
Wait I'm confused now. I've been on CalWORKs for 6 months with my 18 month old and I don't think I'm getting any diaper money?? How do I check if I'm supposed to be getting this??
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Rajan Walker
Check your Notice of Action - it should list a line item specifically for the diaper benefit. Or log into BenefitsCal and look at your benefit breakdown. If you don't see it, definitely call your worker ASAP because you should be receiving it automatically for any child under 3. If they missed it, they might be able to give you retroactive payments for the months you should have received it.
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Ev Luca
So I finally got through to my worker yesterday and found out why my diaper benefit stopped - apparently when I submitted my SAR7 last month, I accidentally checked a box saying my daughter wasn't living with me anymore (I was rushing and misread the form). So they thought she wasn't in my household! They're fixing it now and said I'll get the missing $30 added to next month's payment. Check your SAR7 forms REALLY carefully everyone!!
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Nadia Zaldivar
omg ive done that before too!! the forms are so confusing sometims. glad u got it fixed
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Tate Jensen
my cousin gets $30 for her baby but she told me she dosent even use it for diapers she uses cloth diapers instead. is that allowed or is she commiting fraud? just curious
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Marcelle Drum
It's absolutely allowed. The $30 diaper benefit doesn't have to be spent specifically on disposable diapers. The money is intended to help with diapering costs, but there's no tracking of how you spend it. Cloth diapers are a valid choice too! Many families use cloth diapers for environmental or cost-saving reasons, and they still have expenses related to washing, detergent, and occasional replacements. Your cousin isn't committing fraud at all.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
Thanks everyone for the helpful replies! I feel much better knowing that this is actually the diaper benefit and I don't need to worry about it being some kind of mistake. $30 definitely doesn't cover a month of diapers, but every bit helps!
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Andre Moreau
Just wanted to add that if anyone is having trouble affording diapers even with the $30 benefit, check if your county has any diaper banks or community programs! I found out through my local WIC office that there's a nonprofit near me that gives out free diapers once a month - no income requirements, just show up. Also some churches and food pantries keep diapers in stock. Between the CalWORKs diaper benefit and these community resources, it really helps stretch the budget. You can search online for "[your county] diaper bank" or ask at your local health department - they usually know about these programs.
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