CalWORKs to SSI transition - CBEST interview complete, what happens next?

i had my cbest interview last year. took about 8 months to get approved for ssi but i got denied the first time and had to appeal. make sure you gave them ALL your medical records

I completed the CBEST process in 2025 and successfully transitioned from CalWORKs to SSI. Here's what to expect: 1. After your interview, the CBEST worker will gather all your medical records and submit your application to Social Security. 2. You'll likely need to attend a consultative exam with a doctor chosen by SSA. 3. The initial decision usually takes 3-5 months. 4. While waiting, you can still receive your CalWORKs benefits as long as you meet your WTW requirements (unless you have a WTW exemption for your medical condition). 5. If approved, SSI will start and your CalWORKs will end, but the transition is usually smooth. Most importantly: stay in contact with your CBEST worker and provide any additional documentation they request immediately. If you get denied initially (which happens often), CBEST will help with the appeal process.

THEY DENIED ME 3 TIMES BEFORE I GOT APPROVED!!!! The whole system is DESIGNED to wear you down so you'll give up!!!!! My CBEST worker was useless and kept losing my paperwork. I had to call the county office like 50 times to get anything done. And guess what? When I finally got approved for SSI, they STILL messed up my CalWORKs closure and tried to say I owed them money!!! FIGHT FOR YOURSELF because nobody else will!!

I went thru this last fall. the most important thing is keep ALL your doctor appointments while waiting. my friend missed one appointment and they used that as a reason to deny her. also make copies of EVERYTHING u give them because they lose stuff all the time. oh and make sure ur telling the same story to every doctor about ur limitations. they compare notes and look for inconsistencies.

When I was going through the CBEST process for my SSI application while on CalWORKs, reaching my worker when I had questions was nearly impossible. I spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a live person at the county office without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It was super helpful during the transition period when I had questions about my WTW exemption status and whether my benefits would continue during the SSI application process. Just sharing in case you run into the same frustration trying to reach someone.

Question - did they ask you about your work history during the CBEST interview? I'm wondering because I worked part-time last year while on CalWORKs but had to stop because of my health getting worse. Will that hurt my SSI application?

congrats on finishing the interview! that's actually the easiest part lol. the waiting is the worst. my sister just got approved after 11 months and 2 denials. don't get discouraged if they deny you the first time, almost everyone gets denied initially

Update: I just called my CalWORKs worker and asked about the WTW exemption while waiting for SSI decision. She said I need to get documentation from my doctor about why I can't work and submit it on some exemption request form. Has anyone done this? What kind of medical documentation did they accept?

one thing nobody mentioned is that when u switch from calworks to ssi ur medi-cal might change too. my coverage got messed up for almost 2 months during the transition and i couldn't get my medications. make sure u ask about this specifically!!

Just want to add - during my CBEST interview, they also asked about my living situation and daily routine in detail. They wanted to know things like how I manage household tasks, shopping, personal care, etc. Don't downplay your limitations but be honest about what you struggle with. The interview is really about painting a complete picture of how your condition affects your daily life, not just your ability to work. Also, if you haven't already, start keeping a daily pain/symptom diary - it can be really helpful evidence if you need to appeal. Good luck with your process!