Can I still do CalFresh renewal after discontinuance? BenefitsCal site won't let me submit

If your CalFresh case was discontinued within the last 30 days, you can still get it reopened without starting a completely new application. But you can't do it through BenefitsCal - the system won't allow renewals on discontinued cases. You need to contact your county worker directly. They can reactivate your case and process your renewal if you're still within that 30-day window. If it's been more than 30 days since discontinuance, unfortunately you would need to submit a brand new application.

same thing hapn to me last yr. benefitscal is trash i swear. u gotta call the county office and they do somthing on their end to fix it. took me 3 days of calling to reach someone tho 😑

I've helped many clients with this exact situation. Here's what you need to know: 1. You have 30 days from discontinuance to request a "restoration" of your CalFresh case 2. You cannot do this online - BenefitsCal doesn't have this functionality 3. You must speak with a worker directly 4. You'll need to complete the renewal requirements (interview, verification documents) 5. If approved, benefits may be prorated for the current month And to answer your other question - no, you typically won't receive benefits for days the case was discontinued, but they can issue benefits from the day you contact them to restore your case. If this is urgent and you're struggling to reach someone, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that gets you through to a live person at the county office much faster than trying on your own. I've referred clients to use their service and they've had much better luck getting through. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

when this happened 2 me they said it was cuz i missed my recertification interview!!!! But I SWEAR they never called me for one!! Check ur case notes on BenefitsCal - go to Messages and see if theres anything about a missed interview. They might have called u on a different number or something. The whole system is broken and they just want 2 kick people off benefits i stg

Actually I think ur confusin CalFresh and CalWORKs. They both use BenefitsCal but they're different programs. This is the CalWORKs forum. CalFresh is just food benefits but CalWORKs is cash aid for families with kids. The renewal process is similar tho.

I had a similar issue last year. Called 13 times before someone finally picked up! So frustrating. When they finally answered, the worker was able to reactivate my case and process my renewal over the phone. I had to do another interview right then. Make sure you have your income info ready when you call. I tried using the Contact Us form on BenefitsCal too but nobody ever responded to it. Phone is definitely better even though it's a pain.

Just to follow up on this thread - based on everything shared, here are the steps you should take: 1. Call your county office ASAP (within 30 days of discontinuance) 2. Explain you missed the interview but want to complete your renewal 3. Ask them to restore your case and schedule a new interview 4. Mention that they called your old phone number despite your update 5. Have your income verification ready for the new interview 6. If approved, benefits will restart from the date you contacted them And if you're having trouble getting through on the phone, several people here have mentioned Claimyr as an option to avoid the hold times. Let us know how it goes!

Good luck with your call tomorrow! One tip that worked for me - try calling right when they open (usually 8am) or right after lunch (around 1pm). Those seem to be the best times to actually get through. Also, don't hang up if you get the busy signal - sometimes if you stay on the line it will eventually put you in the queue. The whole system is definitely frustrating but once you get a worker on the phone they can usually sort it out pretty quickly. Hope you get your benefits restored soon!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a similar CalFresh discontinuance situation. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful! My case got cut off 2 weeks ago and I've been panicking about having to start completely over with a new application. Based on everything shared here, I feel much more prepared to call my county office tomorrow. I'm going to try calling right at 8 AM, ask specifically for "case restoration" (not reopening), and mention that they used my outdated phone number for the interview. I have all my recent pay stubs and bank statements ready to go. One thing I wanted to add - I noticed a few people mentioned Claimyr as an option for getting through the phone lines faster. Has anyone here actually used their service for CalFresh issues specifically? I'm curious if it works as well for county benefit offices as it does for other government agencies. The hold times have been brutal when I've tried calling on my own. Really appreciate everyone sharing their restoration success stories - it gives me hope that I can get this sorted out without starting from scratch. Will update once I get through to someone!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My CalFresh got discontinued about 2 weeks ago because they called my old phone number for the recertification interview. I've been so stressed thinking I'd have to start completely over with a new application. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - especially learning about the 30-day restoration window and that the outdated contact info counts as "good cause." I had no idea you couldn't do renewals online once your case is discontinued, which explains why BenefitsCal kept giving me error messages! I'm going to call my county office first thing tomorrow morning at 8 AM and specifically ask for "case restoration" - that terminology tip has been mentioned so many times here it must really make a difference. I've got all my recent pay stubs and bank statements ready to go. If I can't get through with regular calling, I might try that Claimyr service some of you mentioned. Has anyone used it specifically for CalFresh restoration calls? I'm curious how well it works for county benefit offices. Thanks to everyone who shared their success stories and practical advice - this thread has been a lifesaver! I'll definitely update once I get through to someone. For anyone else reading this in a similar situation, don't lose hope - it sounds like restoration is totally doable if you're within that 30-day window!