Do CalFresh benefits backdate when adding newborn? No retroactive pay for months of waiting

Usually no they don't back pay... I've had similar issues when I added my son last yr. Unlike CalWORKs, CalFresh benefits usually start from approval date, not from when u add the person or apply. It sucks especially cuz formula is so expensive!!! Did u tell them u had the baby during the interview?

Unfortunately, CalFresh doesn't typically provide retroactive benefits except in very specific circumstances. When you add a household member, the increase only applies from the date they process and approve the change, not from when you reported it. This is different from CalWORKs cash aid, which sometimes does provide retroactive payments. For future reference, when adding a baby to your case, make sure to: 1. Report the change within 10 days (which you did correctly) 2. Submit a Mid-Period Report specifically for the household change 3. Follow up with your worker by phone weekly until processed You might want to ask if you qualify for the diaper stipend through CalWORKs if you receive that benefit - it's an extra $30/month for children under 3 years old.

The CalWORKs diaper benefit of $30/month should be automatically added for families with children under 3, but sometimes it gets missed. Check your Notice of Action to see if it's included. If not, call your worker and specifically request the diaper stipend. They might need to make a correction and could potentially backdate that specific benefit. Regarding the CalFresh situation - while they don't normally backdate, there is something called "restoration of lost benefits" if the delay was the county's fault. It's a long shot, but you could ask about this if you believe there was a county error in processing your reported change.

I went thru the same EXACT thing with my baby last year! Added him in February and they didn't adjust my CalFresh until May SAR7. No backpay at all. I remember crying at the grocery store because formula was so expensive and I was counting on that extra money. The system is totally broken especially for new moms who need the most help. Did you also apply for WIC? They can help with formula immediately even while CalFresh is being slow.

U know what's crazy is that they expect us to report EVERYTHING within 10 days or we get in trouble but then they can take MONTHS to actually do anything about it!!! The whole system is designed against us I swear.

not to get off topic but did u make sure to apply for the once a year $1,050 Young Child CalWORKs Supplement? most people dont know about it but if u have a child under 2 and get CalWORKs u can get this once a year! its separate from the regular CalWORKs payment

call the county AGAIN and ask to speak to a supervisor about why it took 3 months to add ur baby. thats ridiculous even for them!! tell them u want retroactive calfresh payments because the delay wasnt ur fault. i had to literally call 14 times in one day to finally reach someone about my case last month. the phone system is a nightmare.

off topic but congrats on ur new baby!! 🎉👶 dont give up on fighting for ur benefits, these first months are hard enough without money stress!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - having a newborn is stressful enough without having to fight for benefits you're entitled to! Unfortunately, this delay is way too common. I went through something similar when I had my daughter and it took them 4 months to process adding her to my case. One thing that helped me was documenting everything - dates I called, who I spoke with, what they said. When I finally got a supervisor, having all those details helped show the pattern of delays. Also, if you haven't already, make sure to ask specifically about the "restoration of lost benefits" that Connor mentioned - it's worth a shot even if they usually say no. The diaper stipend through CalWORKs is definitely real and should be automatic, so definitely follow up on that. And don't give up on pushing for those retroactive CalFresh benefits - you reported everything properly and the delay was on their end. Keep fighting for what you and your baby deserve! 💪

I'm really sorry this happened to you! Three months is absolutely ridiculous for adding a newborn to your case. While CalFresh typically doesn't backdate benefits, there are some exceptions for county processing errors. A few things to try: 1. Request a "fair hearing" if you believe the county made an error - you have 90 days from when they denied your request for retroactive benefits 2. File a complaint with the state if the delay was unreasonable (which 3 months definitely is!) 3. Make sure you're getting all the benefits you qualify for now - the $30/month diaper stipend through CalWORKs, WIC for formula, and check if you qualify for any emergency food assistance programs in your area Document everything moving forward and don't let them brush you off. You did everything right by reporting within 10 days and providing documentation. The delay was entirely on their end and your baby needed that support during those months. Keep pushing - sometimes persistence pays off even when they initially say no!