Will CalWORKs make me cooperate with child support if I just need CalFresh?
So confused about this whole child support thing. My sister told me that if I apply for food stamps (CalFresh), the county is gonna automatically go after my kids' dad for child support? We're not together anymore but we're on good terms and I REALLY don't want to mess that up. He helps out when he can but doesn't have steady work right now. I'm struggling to feed my 2 kids (ages 3 and 5) and really need the food assistance, but I'm scared to apply if it means they'll force him to pay child support through the courts. Can I just get CalFresh without dealing with child support stuff? Anyone been through this who can help?
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Sean O'Donnell
Good news - CalFresh (food stamps) does NOT require child support cooperation! That's only for CalWORKs cash aid. You can absolutely apply for just CalFresh without any involvement from your children's father or child support services. If you only apply for CalFresh, there's no requirement to pursue child support. However, if you ever decide to apply for CalWORKs (cash assistance), then yes, you would typically need to cooperate with child support enforcement unless you qualify for a good cause exemption.
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StarSeeker
•Omg thank you so much!! I was so worried bc a lady at my job said they made her baby daddy pay when she got food stamps and I was freaking out. So I just make sure to ONLY apply for CalFresh right? Not CalWORKs?
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Zara Ahmed
the other person is right CalFresh dosent make u do child support but CalWORKs does. but just so u know u can get a exemption from child support even with calworks if theres domestic violence or other reasons. its called a "good cause" exemption. I got one bc my ex was dangerous
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StarSeeker
•Thanks for that info. My ex isn't dangerous or anything, we're actually pretty cool with each other. I just don't want the government getting involved and causing drama between us, you know? He gives me money when he can and watches the kids sometimes.
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Luca Esposito
Just to clarify - there are two totally separate programs here: 1. CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps): No child support cooperation required 2. CalWORKs (cash aid): Requires child support cooperation unless you qualify for an exemption On the BenefitsCal application, you can specifically select which benefits you want to apply for. Make sure you only check CalFresh if you don't want child support involvement. If your income is low enough to qualify for CalFresh, your children might also qualify for Medi-Cal, which also doesn't require child support cooperation.
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Nia Thompson
•my cousin got medi-cal for her kids and they still sent letters about child support even tho they said they wouldn't!!!! she had to call and explain like 5 times that she only applied for medical not cash!!
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Luca Esposito
•That's unfortunate and shouldn't have happened. Sometimes there are system errors where the wrong notices get sent out. If anyone experiences this, they should immediately contact their eligibility worker to clarify they haven't applied for cash aid and don't want child support services involved.
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Mateo Rodriguez
When I applied for benefits last year, I was super confused about this too! The online application can be tricky. Make ABSOLUTELY SURE you only check the box for CalFresh and NOT CalWORKs when you apply. On BenefitsCal.com it lets you choose which programs you want. Also be prepared that the worker might try to encourage you to apply for CalWORKs too since you have kids and might qualify, but you can just tell them you're only interested in food benefits right now. That's what I did.
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StarSeeker
•That's really helpful, thanks! Did they try to pressure you into applying for CalWORKs during your interview or anything? I don't want to seem ungrateful but I really just need help with food right now.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•They didn't pressure me exactly, but they did say something like "you might qualify for cash assistance too" and I just politely said I was only interested in CalFresh for now. They were fine with it!
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GalaxyGuardian
The whole system is designed to FORCE single moms to go after dads whether you want to or not!!! Even if you say no CalWORKs they STILL share your info with child support dept once ur in the system. My friend tried to just get CalFresh and somehow child support still found out and contacted her ex even tho she didn't want that AT ALL. Now they don't even speak and he's mad at her thinking she reported him!!!
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Sean O'Donnell
•This information is incorrect. By law, CalFresh does NOT require child support cooperation, and your information should not be shared with child support enforcement if you're only receiving CalFresh. Your friend's situation sounds unusual - there might have been a mistake, or perhaps she inadvertently applied for CalWORKs as well. It's important not to spread misinformation as it might discourage eligible families from getting food assistance they need.
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Aisha Abdullah
I tried calling the CalWORKs office to ask this exact question last month and was on hold for over 2 hours before I got disconnected! So frustrating. I ended up using Claimyr.com to get through to a real person at the benefits office. They connected me to a worker in less than 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE The worker confirmed that CalFresh doesn't require child support cooperation. Saved me so much stress!
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StarSeeker
•I hate being on hold forever! Thanks for the tip, I might try that if I have trouble getting through when I call with questions. Did they charge you to use it?
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Aisha Abdullah
•Yeah they do charge for the service but honestly it was worth it to me instead of spending hours on hold. They got me through to a real person who could actually answer my questions right away.
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Nia Thompson
everyone here is sayin u dont need child support for calfresh but i swear when i applied they asked about my kids dad on the application??? why they need his info if they aint gonna make him pay??
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Luca Esposito
•They do ask about household composition and may ask about absent parents on the application forms since the same forms are used for multiple programs. However, for CalFresh specifically, they don't use that information for child support enforcement purposes. They mainly need it to understand your household situation and determine eligibility and benefit amounts correctly.
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StarSeeker
Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to apply for just CalFresh through BenefitsCal and make sure I don't check the CalWORKs box. It's such a relief to know I can get food assistance without messing up my co-parenting situation. I'll update if I run into any issues with the application!
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Sean O'Donnell
•Good plan! Just remember that during your interview, be very clear with the eligibility worker that you're only applying for CalFresh. If you ever change your mind about CalWORKs in the future, you can always apply later. Best of luck with your application!
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Dylan Cooper
I'm so glad you found the help you needed here! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you're filling out the BenefitsCal application, there's a section where it asks which programs you want to apply for. Make sure you ONLY select "CalFresh" and leave "CalWORKs" unchecked. The application might seem long because it covers all programs, but don't let that confuse you - just answer the questions honestly and stick to your CalFresh-only plan. Your kids deserve to eat well, and you shouldn't have to sacrifice your peaceful co-parenting relationship to get that help. Wishing you the best with your application!
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Dylan Campbell
•This is such great advice! I was wondering about that too - like if the application is super long and asks about everything, how do I make sure they know I only want CalFresh? It makes sense that the same application covers multiple programs. I'm definitely going to be really careful to only check the CalFresh box and not get confused by all the other questions. Thanks for breaking it down like that!
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Marcus Marsh
Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same worry! I was terrified to apply for any benefits because I thought it would automatically trigger child support stuff with my ex. But I can confirm what everyone else is saying - CalFresh truly does NOT require child support cooperation. I've been receiving CalFresh for my 4-year-old for about 8 months now and there has been zero contact with child support services. My ex and I have our own arrangement that works for us, and the county has never interfered with that. The key is being very clear during your application and interview that you ONLY want CalFresh. Don't let anyone talk you into CalWORKs if you don't want the child support involvement. Your kids need food, and you deserve that help without drama!
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Demi Hall
•Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who's actually been through this for 8 months with no issues. I was getting so stressed reading some of the conflicting info online, but hearing from real people who've done exactly what I'm trying to do makes me feel so much better. Your situation sounds just like mine - we have our own thing that works and I don't want the government messing it up. I'm definitely going to stick to my plan of ONLY applying for CalFresh. Thanks for the encouragement!
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