Denied for CalFresh again - can I reapply when pregnant to increase household size for CalWORKs?

You absolutely CAN apply for CalWORKs while pregnant! It's called the Pregnant Woman Only (PWO) CalWORKs program. You may qualify in the last trimester of pregnancy even if you have no other children. The income limits for CalWORKs are different than CalFresh, so being over the limit for one doesn't automatically mean you're over for the other. I would suggest applying right now rather than waiting - when your baby is born, they'll add the child to your case and recalculate your benefits accordingly.

the regular caseworkers are USELESS for pregnant women!!!! When i was pregnant last year nobody told me about the pregnant woman only thing and i had to figure it out myself after being denied 3 TIMES!!!! Make sure you specifically say you're applying for the PWO CalWORKs program or they'll just process it as regular CalWORKs. The system is designed to confuse us and keep us from getting benefits we deserve!!

You can actually apply for CalWORKs at any point during pregnancy, but benefits only begin in the last trimester unless you have special circumstances. You'll need verification of pregnancy from a doctor showing your due date. I've helped several clients through this process, and it's important to know that PWO CalWORKs doesn't have a work requirement until 6 months after birth. You mentioned being $87 over the limit for CalFresh - have you had any changes in income or expenses recently? Sometimes a small change in childcare costs, rent increase, or medical expenses can make the difference in eligibility.

To answer your question about how many times you can apply - there's no limit. You can apply as many times as your situation changes. Each new application is treated separately. With your household size increasing soon, it's definitely worth reapplying.

Same thing happened to my sister, they kept denying her CalFresh. She finally got through to an actual worker who told her about the pregnancy verification form (CW 8) she needed to fill out for the PWO program. You have to be specific about what you're applying for or they just assume regular CalWORKs/CalFresh. Also my sister got retroactive benefits from when she first applied after she pointed out they never told her about the pregnancy program! good luck

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to the county? I was in the same situation trying to update my case about my pregnancy and couldn't get past the automated system for weeks. I used claimyr.com and got through to a real person in like 20 minutes. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Seriously saved me so much frustration and the worker I talked to actually knew about the PWO program and helped me apply correctly.

u can apply as many times as u want lol. i got denied 4 times for different things before i finally got approved. the income limits change when ur household size changes so def wait till baby is born then reapply. and ya calworks is different program so apply for that too might get it

One important thing to know: When you apply for CalWORKs while pregnant, make sure to also request the pregnancy special need payment! It's an extra $47 per month that many workers forget to tell you about. You qualify for it throughout your pregnancy once you're approved for CalWORKs. When baby comes, you'll also qualify for a $30 monthly diaper benefit for children under 3 in CalWORKs.

Just be prepared to send in a TON of verification documents. They made me send my pregnancy verification 3 different times claiming they never received it!!! Keep copies of EVERYTHING and get names of workers you talk to. The system is broken!!

You mentioned being $87 over the income limit for CalFresh. Just want to check - did they apply all possible deductions? Make sure they counted your housing costs (rent/mortgage, utilities), childcare expenses, and any medical expenses for elderly or disabled household members if applicable. Sometimes eligibility workers miss these deductions, especially if you didn't provide detailed information about your expenses on the application.