How long for CalWORKs to process new application? Applied yesterday & hoping for expedited approval

I applied in December and it took 3 weeks for them to process everything. They scheduled my interview for like 10 days after I applied. But I don't think I qualified for expedited. Good luck!!

CalWORKs applications typically take up to 30 days to process by law, but expedited service is available in emergency situations. To qualify for expedited processing, you generally need to have less than $150 in resources and less than $100 in income, OR your combined monthly income and resources are less than your rent/mortgage + utilities. They should contact you within 3 business days to schedule an interview if you qualify for expedited processing. Based on what you described ($43 to your name and no income), you should definitely qualify for expedited service. Make sure you call your county office today to confirm they received your application and that it's been marked for expedited processing. Sometimes applications get overlooked even when you check the expedited box.

defintly call them! i waited 2 weeks and nobdy called me then i went to the office and thy said they never got my app even tho i had the confirmation #. just keep calling

I've been through this! If you're truly in an emergency situation, you might qualify for Immediate Need (IN) payment which is basically an advance on your CalWORKs benefits that you can get before your application is fully processed. It's up to $200 and you have to specifically request it - they rarely offer it automatically. And for expedited processing, in my experience they should contact you within 3 days, but you should absolutely call them. The county offices are incredibly backed up right now and things fall through the cracks all the time. I'd try calling first thing tomorrow morning when they open. Also, if you're fleeing domestic violence (which it sounds like you might be from your post), make sure to mention that when you talk to them. There are additional resources and possibly expedited processing available in DV situations.

Yes, you should definitely mention the DV situation. It can qualify you for certain exemptions and additional services. There's also something called the Family Stabilization program that provides additional support to families in crisis. When you have your interview, ask about it. And for anyone else reading this who's struggling to reach their CalWORKs worker by phone - I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls the county office for you and gets you connected with a live person without the hours of wait time. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Honestly it saved me so much frustration when I was trying to check on my application status.

i got approved in 10 days but that was because i already had a active case worker from calfresh that helped me... did u apply for calfresh too? that's usually faster than calworks but doesnt help with cash obviously. also u should apply for homeless assistance since ur technically homeless (staying with family temporarily counts

This county is THE WORST at processsing applications on time. I had to call like 20 times and they kept saying "it's in process" but nothing happened for 6 weeks!!! They are legally required to process in 30 days but they don't care. The system is designed to make you give up. And don't count on expedited processing. They'll find any excuse to deny it.

Have you checked out any local resources while waiting? When I was waiting for CalWORKs approval I went to a few food banks and got help with diapers from a local family resource center. Might be worth looking into!

did u get a confirmation number when u applied online? make sure u save that! i lost mine and they said they couldnt find my application and i had to start all over again!!

Just wanted to update and see if you've had any luck reaching your county office. If you qualified for expedited processing, you should have heard something by now. If not, I'd recommend going in person to the office if possible. Sometimes that's the fastest way to get answers. Also, make sure to document everything - when you call, who you speak with, what they tell you. This can be helpful if you need to file for a fair hearing later.