Hi @Alexis! I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help ease your mind. I went through a similar situation last year when I needed specialized treatment in Colorado for an eating disorder. Like you, I was really anxious about the whole SDI process with an out-of-state provider. What I found helpful was creating a simple "treatment transition" folder with copies of everything - my California doctor's referral, insurance pre-authorization, and all the SDI paperwork. I gave copies to both my family and the treatment center's admissions coordinator. This way, if there were any questions or delays while I was focused on my recovery, someone else could help advocate for me. The out-of-state certification process ended up being completely straightforward, and my claim was approved without any issues. Reading through all the excellent advice you've received here, it sounds like you're incredibly well-prepared. The fact that your treatment facility is already experienced with multi-state disability paperwork is such a huge advantage. You're taking such a brave and important step - focusing on your recovery while staying on top of all the practical details shows real strength. Wishing you all the best with your treatment program! This community will be here if you need any support along the way.

Hi @Alexis! I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out after reading through this entire thread - wow, what an incredible amount of helpful information you've received! I don't have personal experience with out-of-state SDI claims, but I did want to share something that might be useful. When I was preparing for my own medical leave last year (though mine was in-state), my therapist suggested I write down a few key questions to ask the treatment facility's medical staff when I arrived, just to make sure I didn't forget anything important while adjusting to the new environment. Things like: "When will you complete my SDI certification?" and "What information do you need from me to ensure it's processed quickly?" It sounds like you've got everything incredibly well-organized thanks to all the amazing advice here - from getting that referral documentation to creating checklists to saving confirmation numbers. The fact that the Arizona facility is already experienced with multi-state disability paperwork is such a relief! I'm really inspired by how proactively you're handling both your recovery and all these practical details. That takes real courage and planning. This community has shown such wonderful support, and it's clear you'll have people rooting for you throughout your 12-week program. Wishing you all the best with your treatment journey!

UPDATE: I talked to my primary care doctor in California and explained the situation. She agreed to review my therapy records and fill out a new certification form! I had my Nevada therapist send over detailed notes and my diagnosis, and my CA doctor will submit the certification by the end of the week. She said she's done this before for other patients. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help - especially the suggestion to use my primary care doctor instead.

This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm actually a mental health counselor licensed in California, and I see this issue come up frequently with clients who've relocated. Just wanted to add that when you're working with your CA primary care doctor, make sure your out-of-state therapist provides a comprehensive treatment summary that includes: current medications (if any), functional limitations specific to work activities, and a clear timeline of when symptoms began affecting your ability to work. This helps the CA doctor write a more detailed and convincing certification. Also, don't be surprised if your primary care doctor wants to do a brief mental health screening during your visit - it's standard practice to document their own clinical observations to support the certification. Really glad this worked out for you, Issac!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - what an awful situation to handle while you're supposed to be recovering and bonding with your new baby! I've been reading through all these responses and I'm amazed by how helpful and detailed everyone's advice has been. As someone who hasn't been through this exact situation but has dealt with other EDD headaches, I just wanted to add one small thing that might help: if you do manage to get through to someone (whether through Claimyr or the direct numbers people shared), consider asking them to put notes in your file about the conversation. Sometimes when you have to call back later, having detailed notes from previous calls can help the next agent understand your situation faster instead of starting from scratch. Also, I know several people mentioned this, but I can't stress enough how important it is to get everything in writing. Even if they verbally confirm they're fixing your claims, follow up with an email or secure message through your EDD portal summarizing what was discussed and asking for written confirmation. You've gotten such amazing advice from people who've actually been through this - the step-by-step approach from @Anastasia Kozlov especially sounds like a solid game plan. I'm really hoping you get through first thing tomorrow morning and can finally get this resolved. The stress of no income while caring for a newborn is just unimaginable. You've got this mama! 💕

I'm a new community member here and just wanted to say how incredible this thread has been to read! @Nathan Kim, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation while recovering from a C-section and caring for your newborn. The fact that EDD's confusing forms can so easily derail someone's benefits during such a vulnerable time is really infuriating. Reading through everyone's responses, I'm blown away by how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. The detailed advice from people like @Anastasia Kozlov who went through the exact same situation, @Miguel Ortiz with the disability advocacy perspective, and @Kai Rivera with HR expertise creates such a comprehensive guide for resolving this nightmare. I don't have personal experience with this specific SDI/PFL mix-up, but I wanted to add one thing that might help: when you do get through to EDD (and it sounds like you have an excellent game plan now!), consider asking if there's a direct callback number or supervisor you can reach if any issues come up during the resolution process. Sometimes having a specific contact can prevent you from having to start over with a new agent if something goes wrong. You've received such amazing actionable advice here - from using Claimyr at exactly 8 AM, to the specific language about "reinstating" your claim, to having all your documentation ready. I'm really optimistic that you're going to get this resolved quickly and get all your backpay. Please do update us - I'm sure there are other parents who will benefit from knowing how this gets sorted out. Sending you lots of support! 💙

As someone who went through the SDI process recently, I can confirm this is definitely a scam. The timing is the biggest red flag - EDD doesn't move that fast on anything, especially not setting up online accounts for paper filers. When I filed my paper claim in January, it took almost 3 weeks before I got my first legitimate communication from EDD, and that was just an acknowledgment letter. The ID.me setup only happened when I manually created my SDI Online account weeks later. That sender email you mentioned (id-support@id.verify-benefits.com) is a classic phishing domain - real EDD emails always come from ca.gov addresses. Good catch on not clicking anything! One thing that helped me during the waiting period was signing up for USPS Informed Delivery so I could track when actual mail from EDD was coming. All legitimate SDI correspondence initially comes by postal mail for paper filers, not email. Might give you some peace of mind while you wait for your real claim updates.

I'm so glad you posted about this and didn't fall for it! I actually work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate disability benefits, and we see these phishing attempts ALL THE TIME. The scammers have gotten really good at timing these emails right after people file claims - they're basically preying on people when they're most vulnerable and anxious about their benefits. A few additional red flags for anyone reading this: legitimate EDD will NEVER ask you to "verify your identity" through email links, and they definitely don't use urgent language like "Your account will be suspended" or "Immediate action required." Real government communications are usually pretty boring and bureaucratic in tone. Also want to echo what others said about the ca.gov domain - that's the golden rule. If it doesn't end in .ca.gov, delete it immediately. I tell all my clients to bookmark the official EDD website and only access their accounts that way. You did everything right by questioning it and calling EDD to verify. Hope your recovery goes smoothly and your claim gets processed without any real issues!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! My hyphenated last name is 26 characters and the online form just cuts it off completely. It's so frustrating that their system can't handle something as basic as longer names in 2025. I submitted my paper application a few days ago and have been worried about not having online access to track my claim. Reading through all these success stories gives me so much hope! It sounds like calling with my paper confirmation number and explaining the character limit issue is definitely the right approach. I'm planning to call first thing Monday morning at 8 AM with all my documents ready. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this technical limitation!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My legal name is 28 characters long and the online form just completely rejects it. I've been putting off calling EDD because I wasn't sure how to explain the problem, but reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much confidence. It's incredible how many of us are dealing with this same technical limitation - you'd think they would have fixed this by now! I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and call tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp with my paper application confirmation number ready. The fact that so many people have successfully gotten their online accounts created manually gives me hope that this will actually work. Thank you all for sharing your stories and tips - this thread has been a lifesaver! I'll update everyone on how my call goes.