CalWORKs benefits discontinued - how long for reactivation after missing renewal forms?

You need to submit your renewal paperwork ASAP! You have a 90-day period after discontinuance where you can submit your renewal forms without having to reapply completely from scratch. It's called the "restoration period" and it makes reactivation much faster. Call your county office first thing tomorrow morning and tell them you never received your renewal packet. Ask them to send you a new one or tell you how to access it online through BenefitsCal. You can also go in person to pick up the forms. If you get the forms filled out and submitted with all verification documents within that 90-day window, your benefits can be restored without starting over. Once they process everything (which can take 7-10 business days), they'll usually provide retroactive benefits back to when you were cut off.

this happened 2 me last year. took almost 4 weeks 2 get my benefits back even after i turned everything in!! they made me verify EVERYTHING again like i was a new applicant even tho they said it was just a "renewal". had to bring birth certificates, rent receipts, utility bills all over again. system is designed to kick ppl off honestly

I had this exact problem last year! Try logging into BenefitsCal online - sometimes the renewal forms are there even if you never got them in the mail. You can submit everything electronically and it's faster than waiting for paper forms. Also, call the office RIGHT AWAY and ask for an "expedited restoration" due to having children under 5. Explain that you never received your forms and have children at risk of homelessness. They're supposed to prioritize cases with young children. Once submitted, reactivation took about 10 days for me, and they did provide retroactive benefits for the missed period. Make sure to submit proof of your continued eligibility (income verification, etc) along with the renewal forms.

I've gone through this too! One thing that saved me was asking for the Homeless Assistance benefit while waiting for my regular benefits to be restored. Since your notice of discontinuance puts you at risk of homelessness, you might qualify for emergency help with rent for a month. You have to request it specifically - most workers won't offer it unless you ask. Also, have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a live person? I was in the same boat getting disconnected after waiting forever. I found this service at claimyr.com that gets you through to a live CalWORKs worker without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It literally saved my sanity when I was trying to fix my benefits. Way better than waiting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.

i think everybodys missing something important here... if u get the discontinuance notice u actually STILL HAVE TIME before benefits actually stop!!! the notice date and the actual cutoff date are different! did u look at the effective date on your notice?? u might still have a week or so to submit everything before they actually cut u off. that would be way easier than having to restore after discontinuance

did u change adresses recently?? thats why i didnt get my SAR7 form once, they sent it to my old address even tho id updated my info. also check your county has right phone number for u becuz sometimes they try to call b4 they discontinue

After seeing your updates, I'd recommend you do these things immediately: 1. Log into BenefitsCal TODAY and check if you can submit your renewal online before the cutoff date 2. Go to your county office in person first thing tomorrow with ID and ask for emergency assistance submitting your renewal before discontinuance 3. Make sure to bring any required verification documents (pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills) 4. Request that they note in your file that you never received the renewal forms 5. Get the name of anyone you speak with and write down the date/time Preventive action now will save you weeks of stress compared to trying to restore benefits after they're cut off. If you can submit everything before the effective date, you might avoid any interruption in your benefits.

I'm a case worker and want to add some important information here. When you go to the office tomorrow, ask specifically about submitting a "good cause" request along with your renewal forms. Since you never received the original forms, this could protect you from any gaps in benefits. Also, bring proof that you didn't receive the forms - like a statement from the post office if mail delivery has been an issue at your address, or documentation of your address change if that's relevant. This helps establish that the non-submission wasn't due to neglect on your part. One more tip: if you have any verification documents that might have expired (like pay stubs older than 30 days), ask what current documents they need. Sometimes workers will accept slightly older documents in good cause situations, but it's better to bring fresh ones if possible. You're doing the right thing by acting quickly. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I went through something similar last year! The stress is absolutely overwhelming when you have little ones depending on you. Since you still have about 12 days before the actual cutoff date, you're in a much better position than I thought from your original post. Here's what worked for me: I went to the office super early (like 7:30 AM) without an appointment and explained it was an emergency situation with young children. They were able to fit me in that same day because of the urgency. Bring everything - your ID, the discontinuance notice, any recent pay stubs, rent receipts, and utility bills. Also, when you're there, ask about getting a copy of your case file to see what address they have on record for you. If there's a mismatch, that's solid proof you should have received the forms elsewhere. The good news is that if you can get everything submitted before the effective date, your benefits should continue without any interruption. You've got this - just take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself and your babies! 💪

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress with two little ones! I've been in a similar situation and know how terrifying it feels. Since you discovered you still have time before the actual cutoff date, here's what I'd do RIGHT NOW: 1. Check BenefitsCal online immediately - log in and see if your renewal forms are available digitally 2. Call your county office first thing in the morning and explain you never received forms and have a 2-month-old baby 3. If you can't get through by phone, show up at opening time and ask for emergency assistance Bring EVERYTHING: your discontinuance notice, ID, recent pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills, and any documentation of your address change. Ask specifically about "good cause" since you never received the forms. The key is getting everything submitted before that effective date on your notice - that way you avoid any gap in benefits entirely. You've got about 12 days which is actually doable if you act fast! Also document everything - get names, times, confirmation numbers. And don't let them brush you off - you have babies to feed and house, so be persistent but polite. Sending you strength mama - you can get through this! 💕