CalWORKs to SSI transition - will my Cash Aid stop immediately?

If you get approved for SSI, your portion of the CalWORKs grant will stop, but your children can continue receiving Cash Aid as a 'child-only' case. The transition isn't immediate - SSI approvals usually take months (sometimes years), and even after approval there's often a waiting period before your first payment. Your CalWORKs won't stop until you actually start receiving SSI payments. Once you're approved, your children's CalWORKs grant will be recalculated without counting you in the assistance unit. Make sure to report your SSI approval to your worker as soon as you get it so they can properly adjust your case instead of potentially creating an overpayment.

btw ssi takes FOREVER to get approved lol. dnt get ur hopes up about it being quick. took my sister almost 3 yrs before she finally got approved. and they denied her like twice b4 she got a lawyer

Hello! I can share what happened in my case. When I got approved for SSI while on CalWORKs, my worker helped transition my kids to a child-only case. The good news is you don't need to file a new application - they'll just redetermine eligibility for your children. Regarding your WTW requirements - you should request a temporary medical exemption while you're going through the SSI process. With your health conditions worsening, you likely qualify. You'll need form CW 61 completed by your doctor. This will pause your WTW requirements and stop your 48-month time clock while you wait for SSI. Also, when you do get SSI, be aware that your children's cash grant will decrease a bit because the household size will change from 3 to 2. And make sure you understand that once you're on SSI, you'll get Medi-Cal automatically but will need to apply for CalFresh separately (SSI recipients in California can now get CalFresh).

Make sure you tell your worker EXACTLY when u get approved 4 SSI & when payments start!! They dont communicate with each other & if u dont report it right away theyll say u got an OVERPAYMENT and make u pay back $$$$. Happened to me and they took money outta my kids cash aid for like 6 months to pay it back!!!

Just adding that you should try to get a lawyer for your SSI application if it gets denied the first time (which happens to most people). Many disability lawyers work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you win your case, and their fee is regulated by law. They take a percentage of your backpay, not your ongoing benefits. Also, I had so much trouble getting my worker on the phone when I was transitioning from CalWORKs to SSI. I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually get through to a human at the county office instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Definitely helped during a stressful time when I needed to talk to someone about my case.

@profile8 Yeah it's legit. I was skeptical too but it actually worked for me. They call the office for you and then connect you once they get through to a person. Saved me from having to redial a million times.

OMG ssi took FOREVER for me!!! over 2yrs and got denied twice!! my advice - DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! every dr visit, every med, every day u couldnt function, EVERYTHING. and when u go to ur assessment appointment next week DONT MINIMIZE ur condition. be honest about ur worst days not ur best days. i made that mistake and they denied me the 1st time bc i tried to look strong. smh

another thing nobody mentioned - if u get backpay from SSI they'll take some of it to repay the calworks u got during the waiting period. its called "interim assistance reimbursement" or somethin like that. my sister had to sign a form agreeing to this when she applied

Since you mentioned your doctor referred you for SSI due to worsening health conditions, I wanted to add that you should apply for a WTW exemption right away using the CW 61 form. Don't wait until your SSI is approved, which could take a long time. With the exemption, you won't have to do the Welfare to Work activities, and as someone else mentioned, those months won't count toward your 48-month lifetime limit on CalWORKs. Also, when your case converts to child-only, the income and resource limits will change, and the grant amount will be different. The good news is that with a child-only case, there are no WTW requirements for you since you're not in the assistance unit anymore.

I went through this exact transition about 8 months ago and wanted to share some additional tips. First, definitely get that CW 61 form filled out ASAP - it made such a difference not having to stress about WTW requirements while dealing with my health issues and the SSI process. One thing I wish someone had told me: keep copies of EVERYTHING. When my SSI got approved, there was some confusion about dates and my worker initially said I had an overpayment. Having my own records of when I reported things and when payments actually started saved me a lot of headache. Also, don't be discouraged if the assessment feels intimidating. I was nervous too, but just be completely honest about your limitations. They need to understand how your conditions actually affect your daily life and ability to work. The child-only transition for your kids should be pretty smooth - my worker handled it all without me needing to do a new application. Your kids' grant will be lower since it's calculated for 2 people instead of 3, but they'll still have their benefits while you're getting SSI. Hang in there - the process is stressful but there are protections in place to help you through the transition!

I'm currently going through a similar situation - applied for SSI 6 months ago and still waiting for my decision. One thing I learned that might help you: if you're worried about a gap in payments, ask your worker about "presumptive disability" payments. If your condition is on the compassionate allowances list (which it sounds like it might be since your doctor was optimistic), SSI can sometimes start payments before the final decision if they think you're likely to be approved. Also, regarding rent - make sure your landlord knows about the potential transition. Some are understanding about temporary delays, especially if you have documentation showing SSI is pending. You might also want to look into local emergency rental assistance programs through 211 or your county's social services department as a backup. The fact that you already got scheduled for an assessment so quickly is actually a really good sign! Most people wait months just for that appointment. Keep your fingers crossed - sounds like your case might move faster than the horror stories you're hearing.

I went through this transition about 2 years ago and wanted to add a few things that might help. The good news is that CalWORKs has protections in place specifically for this situation - they can't just cut you off immediately when you apply for SSI, only when you actually start receiving payments. One thing I'd suggest is asking your worker (or a supervisor if your worker isn't responsive) about getting a "good cause" extension if you're having trouble meeting any WTW requirements while dealing with your health issues and the SSI process. This is separate from the medical exemption others mentioned but can provide additional protection. Also, make sure you understand how your SSI backpay will work with the Interim Assistance Reimbursement that someone mentioned. The county will take back what they paid you in CalWORKs during the months covered by your SSI backpay, but they can't take more than what SSI actually sends them. So if your SSI backpay is higher than what you received in CalWORKs, you'll still get the difference. Keep all your medical documentation organized - not just for SSI but also for your CalWORKs case. Having everything in one place made both processes much smoother for me. Good luck with your assessment next week!