Why is my CalWORKs for newborn twins delayed until February after November application?

same thing happened to me last year! had my baby in october, didnt get benefits til january. they told me something about \

Oh wow so this is actually normal?? That's crazy! Did you end up getting backpay for the months you were waiting at least?

There are a few reasons why this might be happening. First, CalWORKs approval process can take up to 45 days, as you mentioned. But if you applied on Nov 28th, that puts the 45-day deadline in mid-January. Second, once approved, benefits typically begin on the 1st of the following month - which would be February in your case.However, you should definitely receive benefits retroactive to the date of application if you're approved. So when you do get approved, you should receive a payment that covers from your application date forward.Ask specifically about retroactive benefits when you talk to them next. And congrats on your twins!

Thank you for explaining this! I didn't realize they would start on the 1st of the next month after approval. The worker never mentioned anything about retroactive payments though - I'll definitely ask about that. Do you know if the retroactive amount comes as a separate payment or included with the first regular payment?

i had a baby last spring and got approved pretty quick but the first payment took FOREVER to show up on my EBT card. have you checked your mybenefitscal account to see if you've been approved but payment is just delayed?? sometimes the system says one thing but your worker knows something else

I checked BenefitsCal but it just shows

The county offices are SO BACKED UP right now! I had my baby in September and it took them almost 8 weeks just to assign my case to a worker! And then another 3 weeks to get approved! It's ridiculous how they expect new moms to survive without support. Did they at least fast-track your CalFresh application? Sometimes they'll approve food benefits faster than Cash Aid.

This is exactly why I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I had issues with my newborn's application. I was getting nowhere calling the regular line - either waiting 2+ hours or getting disconnected. Claimyr got me through to an actual CalWORKs worker in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwETotally worth it because I found out they were missing a document that no one had told me about, and that was causing the whole delay. Once I submitted it, my application moved forward right away.

There's something important here that hasn't been mentioned. When you add newborns to your case, you should get the Newborn Supplement for your twins in addition to the regular CalWORKs amount. This is an extra $100/month for the first newborn and $150/month for the second newborn for the first 12 months after birth.Make sure when you do get approved that this supplement is included for BOTH babies. I've seen cases where they only add it for one child by mistake. Also, as others mentioned, you should receive retroactive benefits back to your application date - and these should include the Newborn Supplement amounts too.If you haven't already, make sure you've provided birth certificates (or hospital documentation if you don't have birth certificates yet) and that both babies are officially added to your case.

I had no idea about the Newborn Supplement! The worker never mentioned this at all. I did give them the hospital documentation for both babies. I'll definitely ask about this when I talk to them again. Thank you so much for this information!

THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME!! Delay and hope u give up. Its there strategy. I bet they \

While I understand your frustration, I wouldn't recommend bringing newborn twins to the county office if it can be avoided - especially during winter when illness is spreading. Instead, call and ask for a supervisor directly, or request an expedited processing due to immediate need. You can also contact your county's ombudsperson who can help resolve delays. Document every call (date, time, who you spoke with, what was said) to create a paper trail.

Well maybe not bring the babies ur right but definately GO IN PERSON. Calling does NOTHING. they just put u on hold forever and then hang up on u or give u the runaround. in person they cant ignore u.

When I applied for my daughter last yr tey told me it takes time to process everything and I needed to submit her birth certificate and social security card. Do you hav all the paperwork for your twins? That could be part of the delay. Also did you know you can apply for diaper support through WIC? It's not much but every little bit helps with twins!

I submitted the hospital verification paperwork but we're still waiting on their actual birth certificates and SS cards to arrive. Nobody told me that would cause a delay though! And no, I didn't know about diaper support through WIC - I have an appointment with them next week so I'll definitely ask about that. Thank you!

u might also qualify for expedited processing if ur in a crisis situation. like if ur at risk of eviction or utility shutoff or cant afford food/diapers. tell them ur in an immediate need situation and they have to give u emergency aid within like 3 days i think. ask them specifically about \

This is so helpful! I'm definitely in a tight spot financially right now. I'll call tomorrow and specifically ask about

One more thing - since your application was submitted in 2024, your eligibility and benefit amounts will be calculated using the new 2025 payment standards, which are slightly higher than last year. For a family of 3 (you plus twins) in most counties, the maximum monthly grant should be around $1,052. Since you applied on November 28th, if approved, you should receive prorated benefits for the days remaining in November (3 days), plus December and January in full, assuming February is when your regular monthly payments begin. Make sure all of this is accounted for in your retroactive payment.Lastly, don't forget to apply for CalFresh (food stamps) if you haven't already, plus WIC which is especially helpful for families with infants.

Thank you for all this detailed information! I really appreciate knowing the exact amount I should expect. I did apply for CalFresh and WIC at the same time. CalFresh was approved pretty quickly but still waiting on the WIC appointment. It's just the CalWORKs that seems to be taking forever.