CalWORKs benefits suddenly reduced - only $71 Cash Aid and $0 CalFresh instead of full amount

This definitely sounds like something went wrong. The most common reasons for a sudden drop like this are: 1. Did you miss submitting your SAR7 (Semi-Annual Report)? They're due on the 5th of your reporting month. 2. Did your income change but you didn't report it? If you went over the IRT (Income Reporting Threshold), they might have reduced your benefits. 3. Did you recently add someone to your household or have someone move out? 4. Did you get a discontinuance notice in the mail but maybe missed it? I recommend calling your worker ASAP. The fact that both CalWORKs AND CalFresh were reduced suggests something significant happened with your case.

$71 sounds like maybe they're giving you a child-only grant for one kid. Did your kids' father recently start paying child support? Sometimes when child support kicks in they reduce your cash aid by that amount. Or did you maybe get sanctioned for missing a Welfare to Work appointment? That would explain the reduction.

THEY ALWAYS DO THIS!! The county is NOTORIOUS for cutting benefits without properly informing people. They'll claim they sent you multiple notices but half the time those notices never arrive or they're so confusing you don't understand what they're saying. I had the exact same thing happen last year - turned out I missed ONE orientation appointment I didn't even know about and they sanctioned me on both programs. The system is designed to push people off benefits, I swear.

The $71 is a specific amount that suggests a WTW sanction. When you get sanctioned for not participating in Welfare to Work activities, they remove the adult portion of the grant and only give benefits for the children. But your CalFresh shouldn't be affected by WTW sanctions - that's a separate issue. You really need to talk to someone at the county ASAP.

have you logged into BenefitsCal to check your messages? sometimes they send important notices there and not in the mail. also check if anything in your account shows as "pending verification" - they might be waiting for you to submit something

This definitely sounds like two separate issues happening at once. $71 sounds like a WTW sanction amount for one adult being removed from the CalWORKs grant. But the CalFresh going to $0 is unusual unless: 1. You had an overissuance they're recouping 2. Your income was calculated incorrectly 3. They're waiting on verification documents 4. There was an error in your case You need to speak directly with your worker, but good luck getting through on the phone lines. They're impossible!

Update: I finally got through to my worker! Turns out it was TWO different issues. I missed a WTW orientation appointment that was in that letter I didn't read carefully (my bad), which caused the CalWORKs sanction. And separately, they sent a verification request for my rent that I never received, which affected my CalFresh. They're helping me cure the sanction (have to attend the next orientation and sign some forms) and I submitted my rent verification through BenefitsCal just now. Worker said my CalFresh should be restored within 3 days and I'll get the back benefits too. For CalWORKs, I'll get the full amount next month if I complete the WTW requirements. Lesson learned: read EVERY letter they send completely and check BenefitsCal more often!

Glad you got it figured out! Just an FYI for the future (this happened to me) - even if you fix the WTW sanction now, they might not restore the lost amount from this month. That $71 instead of your full grant might just be gone. It sucks but that's how they do it with sanctions. At least your CalFresh back-payment will help make up for it somewhat.

So glad you got this sorted out! This is exactly why I always tell people to treat every piece of mail from the county like it's urgent - even if it looks like "just information." They have a sneaky way of burying important deadlines in what seems like routine paperwork. For anyone else reading this thread, here's what I've learned from my own experience: take photos of every document they send you and set calendar reminders immediately. Also, if you ever can't make a required appointment, call them BEFORE the date to reschedule. They're usually more willing to work with you if you're proactive rather than reactive. The system is definitely not user-friendly, but stories like yours show that most issues can be resolved if you can actually get through to someone who knows what they're doing. Thanks for sharing the update - it'll help other people who find themselves in the same situation!