When can I add my unborn baby to CalWORKs Cash Aid/EBT during pregnancy?
I just found out I'm 8 weeks pregnant and currently receiving CalWORKs and CalFresh for myself and my 4-year-old daughter. My caseworker is impossible to reach (always voicemail), and I've heard different things from friends. Some say I can add my unborn baby to my case now for extra Cash Aid, others say I need to be in my second trimester, and some say I have to wait until birth. Does anyone know for sure when I can report my pregnancy and get the additional benefits? My rent just went up $200 and I'm trying to plan ahead financially. Also, do I need to get verification from my doctor or is there a specific form I need? Thanks for any help!
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NeonNinja
You can add your unborn baby to your CalWORKs case once you're in your second trimester (after 12 weeks). They call it the 'pregnancy special need' payment. It's an extra $47 per month until the baby is born. You'll need verification from your doctor with your due date on official letterhead or their medical form MC 237. You can upload this on BenefitsCal or drop it off at the office. After the baby is born, you'll get the full additional person amount for CalWORKs (around $200-300 more depending on your county). For CalFresh/EBT, you can only add the baby after birth with their birth certificate or hospital documentation.
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Diego Vargas
•Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed to know. So I'm almost at the second trimester and can get the special need payment soon. Does the MC 237 form need to be filled out by my doctor or can I get it from the county office and bring it to my next appointment? I'm really counting on that extra bit of help before the baby comes.
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Anastasia Popov
My friend said she got the pregancy mony at 3 months but I didnt know about it til I was 7 months along and only got a few payments before my baby was born. Dont wait to report it! The workes never tell u about this extra benefit unless u ask!!
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Sean Murphy
•This is SO true!!! They never volunteer information about extra benefits we qualify for. I didn't find out about the diaper stipend until my baby was almost 1 year old. Missed out on all those months of extra help. Always ask questions and don't assume your worker will tell you everything you're eligible for.
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Zara Khan
If you're having trouble reaching your worker about adding your pregnancy to your case, try using Claimyr. It's a service that gets you through to CalWORKs workers without waiting on hold for hours. Helped me so much when I was pregnant last year and needed to submit my verification docs. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE and their website is claimyr.com. They connected me to a real person in like 10 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own.
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Luca Ferrari
•Does this actually work? I've been calling for 2 weeks trying to get through to someone about my SAR7 and nobody ever picks up. Might try this if it really works.
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Zara Khan
•@profile8 Yes, it really works! I was skeptical too but I was desperate after trying for days to reach someone about my pregnancy verification. Got through in minutes. Just know they can only connect you - they can't actually fix your case issues, but at least you get to talk to a real person who can help.
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Nia Davis
Im gonna disagree with some people here. When I was pregnant in 2024 they gave me the extra money starting at 8 weeks!!! I had hyperemesis and my doctor wrote a note saying I needed extra nutrition support. So sometimes they will approve it earlier depending on your situation. But normally yes its second trimester. ALSO IMPORTANT: make sure to report the birth within 10 days or they might cut off your benefits for not reporting the household change!!!!!!!
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Mateo Martinez
•That's not how it normally works though. You probably got a special medical exemption because of your hyperemesis, not the standard pregnancy special needs payment. OP shouldn't expect this unless she has documented medical complications. The standard policy is second trimester for the pregnancy special need payment of $47.
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Nia Davis
•maybe ur right cause my worker did say something about it being special but i thot everyone could get it if they ask!!! my bad for confusing things!!!
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Diego Vargas
Thanks everybody for all the helpful responses! I'm going to call tomorrow to get more information about the MC 237 form and make sure I have what I need for my next appointment. Really appreciate knowing I can add the pregnancy soon instead of waiting for the birth. Every little bit helps right now.
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NeonNinja
•Glad we could help! One more thing - when your baby is born, you'll need to report it right away to get the full CalWORKs amount. Bring or upload the hospital documents showing the birth date, baby's name, and your name. The county should add the baby to your case within 10 days after you submit proof of birth. Don't wait for the birth certificate if it's not ready yet - the hospital discharge papers will work initially.
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Luca Ferrari
u shud also apply 4 WIC if u havent already. its seprate from calworks but gives u food 4 pregnant women and kids under 5. formula is expensive AF so get on that program now
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Diego Vargas
•Thanks for the reminder! I actually already have WIC for my daughter but I need to update them about the pregnancy. Appreciate you mentioning it though because every program helps these days.
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Mateo Martinez
I want to add something important that others haven't mentioned. The pregnancy special need payment is separate from the Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) increases. If you're in the second trimester and verified your pregnancy, you get both: (1) the $47 special needs payment AND (2) your MAP increases because your household size is considered one larger while pregnant. So you actually get more than just the $47 that people are mentioning. When I was pregnant last year, my cash aid went up by about $150 total between both changes.
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Sean Murphy
•Wait, really? My worker never told me this when I was pregnant last year! I only got the $47. Are you 100% sure about the MAP increase during pregnancy? I thought that only happened after birth.
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Mateo Martinez
•It depends on your specific situation and county, but in many cases, yes. Reference the ACL 21-43 which updated the pregnant woman assistance. Not all workers apply this correctly. When I questioned mine, they had to get a supervisor involved who confirmed I was right. That's why it's so important to know your rights with these programs.
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Liam Mendez
•@Mateo Martinez This is really helpful information! I had no idea about the MAP increase during pregnancy. When you mention ACL 21-43, is that something I can look up online or request from my worker? I want to make sure I m'getting everything I m'entitled to when I report my pregnancy. Also, did you have to specifically ask for both the special needs payment AND the MAP increase, or did they automatically calculate it once you verified the pregnancy?
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Jacob Lewis
•@Mateo Martinez You can find ACL 21-43 on the CDSS website under All County Letters - just search for pregnant "woman assistance or" the ACL number. I had to specifically ask for both benefits because my worker initially only processed the special needs payment. Once I brought up the household size increase, they recalculated my case and I got the full amount retroactively. Definitely print out that ACL and bring it with you when you report your pregnancy, just in case your worker isn t'familiar with the updated policy. Some counties are better at training their staff on these changes than others.
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