CalWORKs denied but only $25 CalFresh approved for family of 6 - appeal worth it?

I've been through something similar and here's what you need to know about CalWORKs appeals: they can absolutely be worth it, especially in your situation! The Administrative Law Judge looks at things differently than the county worker. With a disabled spouse and being just $219 over the limit, you have a solid case because of potential income deductions the county might have missed. Make sure to request all the case documents through a 'Record Review' BEFORE your hearing so you can see exactly how they calculated your eligibility. Sometimes they make errors in how they apply exemptions for disabled family members or don't properly calculate housing costs in high-rent areas like LA. When you appeal, specifically mention 'hardship exemption' and ask them to review the disability-related expenses as potential deductions from countable income.

omg only $25 for CalFresh?? thats ridiculous! i get $740 for just me and my 2 kids. but then again i only work part time. the system is messed up cuz they basicly punish you for working more hours. my cousin makes like $200 more than me and only gets $150 in food stamps. maybe u can reduce ur hours at work? thats what alot of ppl do

The EXACT same thing happened to me last year!!! Denied for cash aid but got approved for like $18 in food stamps for a family of 4. Totally ridiculous. I DID appeal and guess what? I LOST. Complete waste of time. The judge basically just confirmed what the county said - that I was over income by like $95. The county workers don't care that rent in LA is insane. I ended up having to move in with my mom in San Bernardino county and reapply there. The whole system is BROKEN!!!!!

Have you called the county to ask exactly how they calculated your eligibility? Sometimes they miss important deductions, especially for families with disabilities. Did you specifically tell them about any out-of-pocket medical expenses for your husband? Those can be deducted from your countable income for CalWORKs. Also, if you're paying for childcare so you can work, that should be deducted too. If you're having trouble getting through to your worker to discuss these issues, I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual human at the CalWORKs office in about 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - it really saved me when I needed to fix a similar issue with my benefits being calculated wrong.

Appeals can actually be successful - I won mine last year! But here's what most people don't know: you need to specifically request a "budget worksheet" and an "income calculation detail" from your worker BEFORE the hearing. This shows exactly how they determined you were over the limit. In my case, they incorrectly calculated my earned income disregard (the first $225 of earned income plus 50% of the remainder should be exempt). Also, make sure they properly applied the disability deductions - they should exclude $500 of your husband's disability income if he receives SSI or SSDI. Another thing to consider - have any of your circumstances changed since you applied? Even a small reduction in income could make you eligible. You can always withdraw your appeal and reapply if your situation changes.

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm definitely going to appeal and request that budget worksheet! I just checked and realized they probably didn't count my childcare costs properly. I spend about $800/month for afterschool care so I can work my afternoon shift. I'm also going to look into that Legal Aid suggestion. This is all so overwhelming but I'm feeling a bit more hopeful now. Will update after I talk to someone at the county office!

Has anyone else noticed they seem to be denying more people lately? My neighbor got denied 2 and she only makes like $2400 a month with 3 kids. Seems like they tightened up the rules or something

I want to correct something important: for appeals, you need to request the appeal within 90 days of receiving your Notice of Action. When you submit the appeal form, check the box for "continuing benefits" if you were already receiving aid that they're trying to cut off. In your case, since this is a new application denial, focus on gathering strong evidence of all possible deductions. For a family of 6 in LA county with a disabled spouse, you should also immediately apply for: 1. Medi-Cal (if you haven't already) 2. IHSS for your husband's care needs 3. Housing assistance programs (separate from CalWORKs) 4. LIHEAP for utility bill assistance 5. School meal programs for the children Lastly, request an "expedited determination" on your CalFresh case review, as $25 sounds suspiciously low for a family of 6 even if you're over the CalWORKs limit.

IHSS could be a game-changer for your family! Since your husband has severe RA and needs help with daily activities, he would likely qualify for In-Home Supportive Services. Here's what's great about it: YOU can be his paid caregiver through IHSS, which means you'd get paid (around $17-18/hour in LA County) for providing his care. This income is treated differently for CalWORKs calculations and might actually help your case since it's considered "self-employment" with different deduction rules. To apply for IHSS, call 1-888-944-4477 or visit your local Social Services office. They'll do an assessment of your husband's needs and determine how many hours of care he qualifies for per week. Even if he only qualifies for 10-15 hours weekly, that's still $170-270 extra income that could ironically help you qualify for CalWORKs due to the way they calculate self-employment income. Also, once you're getting IHSS payments, make sure to mention this to your CalWORKs worker during your appeal - they need to recalculate your eligibility based on this new income source and its associated deductions. Many families don't realize IHSS can actually help rather than hurt their other benefit eligibility!