How much extra Cash Aid do you get for adding a newborn to CalWORKs case in 2025?

Congratulations on your pregnancy! When you add a newborn to your CalWORKs case, you'll receive an additional grant amount based on your family size increasing. In Region 1 counties, you'd get approximately $155-175 more per month for the additional child. The exact amount depends on your current income and other factors. You should report the birth of your child within 10 days, and they'll add the baby to your case for the following month. And yes, California still offers the $30 monthly diaper benefit for children under 3 years old who are on CalWORKs, so you'll qualify for that too.

When I had my baby last year they only gave me $116 extra! This is in LA county. And they didn't tell me about any diaper money at all!!! Is this diaper benefit new??? My worker never mentioned ANYTHING about it and my baby is 9 months old now. Should I be getting it??

The exact amount varies depending on which region you live in (CA has different payment rates in different counties), how many people are already on your case, and if you have any income. But typically it's between $115-175 per month extra for adding a newborn. Make sure you report within 10 days of birth! They'll need the birth certificate eventually but initially hospital discharge papers work too. And YES get that diaper money! $30/month extra per kid under 3 years old. It's not much but better than nothing.

I just added my newborn 2 month ago in Feb and got $165 more each month but im in region 2. They did back pay from his birth date too. For paperwork i just brought the paper from hospital with his footprints and they said that was fine for now but i need to bring birth certificate when i get it. dont forget to add baby to ur medi-cal too!

When you add your newborn, you should report the change within 10 days of birth. The CalWORKs grant increase varies by county region and family size, but expect approximately $150-$175 per month additional Cash Aid. You'll need to provide verification of birth (hospital documents initially, then the birth certificate when available). The $30 monthly diaper benefit should be automatically added for children under 3, but sometimes you need to specifically request it if they overlook it. Also remember to update your SAR-7 and include the baby on your next redetermination. I had trouble reaching my worker when I had my baby and was getting disconnected constantly. I finally used Claimyr.com to get through – they connect you directly to a live CalWORKs worker and bypass the hold times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to add my baby quickly.

DONT forget about getting infant/child care benefits too if you need them!!!! Your WTW (welfare to work) requirements resume shortly after birth unless you get an exemption. They don't automatically tell u these things. You need to APPLY specifically 4 childcare. Took me 6 months to figure this out with my last baby and missed out on a lot of help.

When I had my baby in January, I got exactly $166 added to my monthly grant in Region 1 (Bay Area). Make sure when you report the birth to also ask about: 1. The diaper benefit ($30/month) 2. WTW exemption (you get 12 months exemption with a newborn) 3. Special needs housing if applicable 4. Childcare registration as someone mentioned I had all sorts of issues reaching my worker when my baby was born. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally got through using Claimyr after my friend recommended it. Might be worth looking into if you have trouble reaching someone.

i kno its supposed 2 b $30 extra for the diapers but my worker tried 2 tell me we dont get that in our county (riverside) which is BS!!! i had 2 fight with them 4 like 3 months before they finally added it! so make sure u push if they try 2 say u dont qualify

Hey Liam! Congrats on the pregnancy! 🎉 Just wanted to add that Sacramento county is in Region 1, so you should expect around $155-175 extra per month like others mentioned. One thing I don't see mentioned yet - make sure to also ask about WIC when you add the baby! It's separate from CalWORKs but gives you extra food assistance for formula/baby food. You can apply while pregnant and it continues after birth. Also, if you're having trouble getting through to your worker later, I've heard good things about that Claimyr service others mentioned. The phone system is such a nightmare when you're dealing with a newborn! Good luck with everything and hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly! 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉 Just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through this process. I'm in Orange County (Region 1) and when I added my baby last October, I got $162 extra per month. The diaper benefit is definitely real - it's $30/month and should be automatic, but like others said, sometimes you have to specifically ask for it if they "forget." One tip that helped me: when you call to report the birth, ask them to email or mail you a confirmation of all the changes they're making to your case. That way you have documentation of what was supposed to happen. Also, don't forget to update your emergency contact info since you'll have a new little one! The 12-month WTW exemption for having a newborn is also super important to confirm - gives you time to bond and recover without worrying about work requirements. Hope everything goes smoothly with your pregnancy and the case updates! 💕

Hey Liam! Congrats on your pregnancy! 🎉 Just wanted to add a few things I learned when I had my baby in Sacramento County last year. You're definitely in Region 1, so expect around $155-175 extra per month like others said. One thing I wish someone had told me - when you report the birth, ask them to send you a written notice showing all the changes they made to your case. Sometimes things get missed and having it in writing helps if you need to follow up later. Also, since you mentioned your caseworker takes forever to call back, I'd recommend calling the main CalWORKs number (1-877-847-3663) to report the birth instead of waiting for your specific worker. Any worker can add the baby to your case, and you'll get faster service. The diaper benefit should be automatic but definitely ask about it specifically - it's $30/month per child under 3. And don't forget to ask about your 12-month WTW exemption for having a newborn! Good luck with everything and hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly! The extra money will definitely help with baby expenses. 💕

Hey! Congrats on your pregnancy! 🎉 I just went through this process in San Francisco (also Region 1) when I had my daughter 4 months ago. I got $168 extra per month added to my case. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to ask about ALL the benefits when you call. I didn't know about the diaper money at first and had to call back later to get it added. It's $30/month and totally worth asking for! Also, bring multiple copies of whatever documents you have when you go in. Hospital discharge papers work fine initially, but having extras saves you trips later. And definitely ask for that 12-month WTW exemption - it's automatic but good to confirm they noted it. The phone system is awful though, so be prepared for long hold times when you need to report the birth. Some people here mentioned Claimyr which might be worth looking into if you get stuck on hold forever like I did! Best of luck with everything! September will be here before you know it! 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉 I'm also in Sacramento County and just went through this last year. You're in Region 1, so expect around $160-170 extra per month when you add your baby. I got $164 specifically. A few things that really helped me: - Call the main CalWORKs line (1-877-847-3663) to report the birth instead of waiting for your caseworker. Any worker can add the baby and it's much faster! - Ask specifically for the $30/month diaper benefit - it should be automatic but sometimes gets "forgotten" - Request written confirmation of all changes they make to your case - Don't forget about your 12-month WTW exemption for having a newborn Also make sure to update your Medi-Cal for the baby and apply for WIC if you haven't already - that's separate food assistance that helps a lot with baby formula/food. The phone system can be frustrating when you're dealing with a newborn, so having that main number and knowing you can talk to any worker (not just your assigned one) is a game changer. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy! 💕

Hey Liam! Congrats on your pregnancy! 🎉 I just wanted to add something I haven't seen mentioned yet - when you're getting close to your due date, it might be worth calling ahead to let them know the baby is coming soon. I did this around 36 weeks and my worker actually flagged my file so when I called to report the birth, they already had everything ready to process quickly. Also, since you mentioned you're due in September, that's actually perfect timing because your case will get updated for the new benefit year (October 1st) right around when baby arrives, so everything will be fresh and current. One more tip - if you end up having complications or need to stay in the hospital longer, don't stress about the 10-day reporting deadline. They're usually understanding about medical situations, but definitely call as soon as you're able to. The most important thing is that you and baby are healthy! Sacramento County is pretty good about processing these changes quickly once they have the info. You're going to do great! 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉 I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I added my baby to CalWORKs in Fresno County (Region 2) last fall. I got $148 extra per month, which was less than some of the Region 1 amounts people are mentioning but still really helpful! One thing I wish I had known - make sure to ask about ALL the baby-related benefits at once when you call. Besides the cash aid increase and the $30 diaper benefit, there's also sometimes special nutritional supplements available through your county if you're breastfeeding. My friend in LA County got those but I didn't know to ask until it was too late. Also, if you're planning to breastfeed, you might want to ask about getting a breast pump through Medi-Cal - it's covered and can save you a lot of money on formula later. I got mine approved during pregnancy which was super convenient. The advice about calling the main number instead of waiting for your caseworker is spot on! I waited 3 weeks trying to reach my assigned worker and finally just called the general line and got everything done in one call. Good luck with everything! 💕

Hey Liam! Congrats on your pregnancy! 🎉 I'm also expecting (due in August) and have been researching all this stuff too. Reading through everyone's responses here has been SO helpful! I wanted to add one thing I learned from my neighbor who just went through this - make sure when you call to report the birth, you also ask them to update your housing situation if you're in subsidized housing or on a waiting list. Having a new baby can sometimes bump you up on priority lists or qualify you for larger units. She said she almost forgot to mention it and it ended up making a huge difference for her family. Also, someone mentioned WIC but I wanted to emphasize how much that helps! I'm already on WIC while pregnant and it covers so much - milk, eggs, cereal, peanut butter, fruits and veggies. Once baby comes you get formula (if needed) and baby food later on. It's totally separate from CalWORKs so you can have both. This thread has been more helpful than any caseworker I've talked to! Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences. It's so nice to have a community where people actually help each other figure this stuff out. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy Liam! We got this! 💪💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🎉 This thread has been so incredibly helpful - I'm also new to CalWORKs and had no idea about half of these benefits! Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel so much more prepared. I just wanted to add one thing I learned from my sister who went through this in San Diego County last year. She said to make sure you keep copies of EVERYTHING when you submit documents for adding the baby. She had to resubmit her hospital paperwork twice because they somehow "lost" it in the system. Now she makes copies of every single thing before turning anything in. Also, for anyone mentioning trouble getting through on the phones - I've been using that Claimyr service people mentioned for other CalWORKs issues and it's been a lifesaver! Definitely worth the small fee when you're dealing with a newborn and don't have time to sit on hold for hours. Liam, you're so smart to plan ahead! September will be here before you know it. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world info we need! 💕

Congratulations Liam! 🎉 This thread has been absolutely amazing to read through - everyone has shared such valuable information! I'm a newcomer here but wanted to add my experience from when I added my baby to CalWORKs in Alameda County (Region 1) about 8 months ago. I got $159 extra per month for adding my newborn, and the $30 diaper benefit was automatically included (thankfully my worker didn't "forget" like some people experienced). One thing I don't think anyone mentioned yet is that you should also ask about the Cal-Learn program if you're under 19 or still in school - it provides additional support for teen parents. The tip about calling ahead around 36 weeks is brilliant! I wish I had done that. Also, when you do call to report the birth, ask them to email you a summary of the call so you have documentation of what was discussed and what changes were made. Reading about everyone's experiences with phone wait times makes me so grateful I found this community. The real-world advice here is worth its weight in gold compared to trying to navigate the system alone. Best of luck with your pregnancy and congratulations again! Sacramento County should treat you well - you're in good hands! 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Liam! 🎉 This thread has been such a goldmine of information - I'm new to this community but had to jump in because everyone's shared experiences are so incredibly helpful! I just went through this process in San Mateo County (Region 1) when I had my son 3 months ago. I got $161 extra per month added to my CalWORKs case, plus the $30 diaper benefit which thankfully was added automatically. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is to ask about the Emergency Assistance program when you call - if you have any unexpected expenses related to the birth (like extra medical bills or if you need emergency baby supplies), they sometimes have one-time emergency funds available. I didn't know about this until after the fact, but it could be helpful to know about just in case. Also, since you mentioned being due in September, that timing actually works out well because it's right before the new benefit year starts in October. Your case will get reviewed anyway, so all the baby-related changes should process smoothly together. The advice everyone's given about calling the main CalWORKs line (1-877-847-3663) instead of waiting for your caseworker is spot on. I saved myself weeks of frustration by doing exactly that. And definitely make that checklist of everything to ask about - cash aid increase, diaper benefit, WTW exemption, written confirmation, updating Medi-Cal, housing updates if applicable, and WIC coordination. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy! This community is amazing for real-world advice that actually helps. 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Liam! 🎉 This entire thread has been absolutely incredible to read through - I'm blown away by how supportive and informative this community is! I'm also new here but wanted to share my recent experience adding my baby to CalWORKs in Santa Clara County (Region 1) just 6 weeks ago. I received $167 extra per month for my newborn, and fortunately the $30 diaper benefit was included automatically without me having to fight for it. One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned - when you go to report the birth, ask if they can schedule your next SAR-7 review to align better with your new family situation. Sometimes they can adjust the timing to make reporting easier, especially since you'll have a lot of changes happening at once. Also, don't forget to ask about transportation assistance if you need to get to medical appointments with the baby - some counties have programs that help with bus passes or gas vouchers for families with newborns. The advice everyone has given about keeping copies of everything and getting written confirmation is so crucial. I learned that lesson the hard way with other benefits! And that main CalWORKs line (1-877-847-3663) really is a game changer compared to waiting for your assigned worker. You're so smart to plan ahead - September babies are lucky! This community has given you an amazing foundation of knowledge. Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and smooth benefit updates! 💕