Confused about CalSAWS vs. CalWIN systems for my CalWORKs case - which one am I supposed to use?

CalSAWS is actually replacing CalWIN across California counties. It's part of a statewide transition to get everyone on the same system. Your county is probably in the middle of switching over, which is why they mentioned it. CalSAWS stands for California Statewide Automated Welfare System, while CalWIN was just one of three different systems counties were using before (C-IV and LEADER were the others). When your county transitions, you'll need to create a new account in BenefitsCal (benefitscal.com) which is the portal used to access CalSAWS. All your case data should transfer automatically, but it's a good idea to: 1. Download any important documents from your CalWIN account now 2. Ask your worker exactly when the switch is happening for your county 3. Create your BenefitsCal account as soon as they tell you to I went through this last year and there were some hiccups, but overall everything transferred okay. Just make sure you're checking both systems during the transition period so you don't miss anything important.

ya they made us switch like 8 months ago and it was confusing AF! nobody told me anything until i tried logging into calwin and it didnt work. had to call and wait on hold for like 3 hrs to figure out what happened. make sure u write down all ur case numbers and stuff from calwin b4 it goes away!!

When my county switched last year it was a real mess. Half the workers didn't even know how to use the new system properly. My WTW hours didn't transfer correctly and they almost sanctioned me until I found some proof of participation paperwork I'd submitted under the old system. Make sure you keep PAPER COPIES of everything important - don't just trust that the electronic records will transfer perfectly. And take screenshots of your CalWIN account showing your benefit history just in case.

I had such a nightmare with this transition! My CalWORKs got discontinued because of the switch and I couldn't reach anyone at the county. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting for 2+ hours. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they have this service where they wait on hold for you and call you back when they reach a real person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE if you want to see how it works. Saved me from missing rent that month because I got reconnected within an hour and had my benefits reinstated the next day.

To clarify some confusion in this thread: CalSAWS and CalWIN are county eligibility systems, not customer portals. What's changing for you as a client is: - You'll stop using the C4Yourself/MyBenefitsCalWIN website - You'll start using BenefitsCal.com instead BenefitsCal is the customer portal that connects to CalSAWS behind the scenes. The good news is BenefitsCal actually handles ALL benefits (CalWORKs, CalFresh, Medi-Cal) and is more user-friendly than the old systems. You can upload documents directly, report changes, and check benefit status all in one place. Your EBT card will work exactly the same - that system is separate from the eligibility systems. And your reporting periods should stay the same, though it's always good to verify this with your worker during transition.

I just realized something! If you're in a county that's transitioning soon, they're probably sending you notices about this change. Check your mail carefully - I almost threw away what looked like junk mail but was actually instructions about the system change with important dates. They should send you a letter with a BenefitsCal registration code that makes it easier to link your existing case to your new account.

wait im confuse...do we HAVE to switch? im using c4yourself for my calworks and calfresh i don't want to create another account everything finally working right after 6 months of problems

One important thing to know: During your county's transition month, there might be a few days when neither system is fully accessible while they migrate the data. If your redetermination is due during that window, submit it EARLY through your current system, or submit it on paper directly to your county office to be safe. Also, when you create your BenefitsCal account, use the same email and phone number that's already in your case record - it helps with matching your information correctly and reduces verification issues.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble reaching your county office during the transition, you can also visit in person if possible. I know it's not convenient, but when my county switched last fall, the phone lines were completely overwhelmed for about 2 weeks. Walking into the office was actually faster than trying to call. Also, if you have kids getting school meals through the National School Lunch Program, make sure your school knows about any temporary benefit disruptions during the switch - sometimes there can be a day or two delay in the data sync between systems, and you don't want your kids to lose their free lunch eligibility even briefly. One more tip: Screenshot your current benefit amount and payment schedule from CalWIN before the switch. I've heard of a few cases where benefit amounts got miscalculated during the data transfer, and having that proof made it much easier to get it corrected quickly.

I went through this transition about 6 months ago and wanted to share a few things that might help. First, don't panic - your benefits won't just disappear overnight. The counties are required to give at least 30 days notice before the switch. Here's what I wish someone had told me: 1. Your case worker should give you a specific date when CalWIN will stop working for your county 2. You can actually create your BenefitsCal account early (even before the official switch) to get familiar with it 3. Your case number might change slightly - mine went from starting with "04" to starting with "C4" but all my history was still there The BenefitsCal system is honestly much better once you get used to it. You can upload documents right from your phone, and it shows your benefit history going back years. The mobile app actually works properly unlike the old CalWIN mobile site that never loaded right. One warning though - during the first few weeks after your county switches, expect the customer service lines to be extra busy. Everyone's calling with questions about the new system. If you can, try to get any urgent business handled before the switch happens. Good luck with your redetermination! The transition might seem scary but once it's done, the new system is actually easier to use.