HOW DO I APPLY FOR CALWORKS?
You can apply for CalWORKs at the nearest DHA office or online at
benefitscal.com
Once your eligibility is determined and your case is approved, you can call the
CalWORKs Service Center and receive assistance from a worker to resolve any problems with your case.
Call (800) 560-0976 between 8:00 am – 5:00 pm to reach staff dedicated to answering your questions and resolving issues. You still must come in to an office for most Welfare-to-Work appointments and homeless assistance.
When you apply, you have a right to be treated with courtesy and without discrimination for any reason. The DHA workers must try to get you all the benefits for which you are eligible.
Often, eligible people who urgently need the aid don’t get correct information, or don’t understand or get discouraged. If that is happening to you, be strong, insist on talking to a supervisor or the supervisor’s manager, seek out the help of someone who will advocate for you, or call a Legal Aid office. (See section on Hearings and Complaints.)
1. Domestic Violence
If you are a victim of domestic violence, or suffering effects of past domestic violence tell the worker right away, because there are specially trained workers available to help you. Also, you may not need to do WTW , or you can have other eligibility rules changed.
2. Special Help for the Disabled
If you have a physical or mental disability that makes it hard for you to go through the regular application process, DHA must give you special help. This might include: taking an application at your home, helping you fill out forms, reading all forms to you. Ask your worker for this help. If they won’t give it to you, contact the Civil Rights Liaison in the office or call Legal Services for help.
3. Help for non-English Speakers
DHA must have an interpreter for any non-English language for anyone who wants one.
4. Documents To Bring When You Apply
When applying for CalWORKs, bring the following documents with you. If you do not have some of them, go ahead and apply, and get a list of documents to be brought in later. Ask the worker to help you get missing documents.
• Identification with your name and current address on it. This can be a birth certificate, driver’s license, California ID card
• Social Security Numbers or Cards (or proof of application for the cards)
• Proof of income (like check stubs, a W2, or copy of your tax return)
• Proof that you live in the county (a document that has your name and an address on it) for each person on the application
• If you do not have ID, you can also fill out a form to swear that you are who you say you are. DHA will use this temporarily until you get proof of identification
• Proof of citizenship, alien or immigration status for each person on the application that has it
• Proof of your housing situation (rent receipts, lease agreement, etc.)
• Auto payment papers and registration
• Letters from a doctor if anyone in the household is pregnant, disabled, has a special medical need or needs a special diet
• Any papers having to do with marriage, divorce, child support, or other circumstances that apply to your family.
4. Next Steps
Keep in touch with your DHA eligibility worker and write down his or her name, phone number, and phone hours. If you are asked to mail additional papers to the welfare office, ask the worker for a stamped envelope addressed to him or her.
If you take in papers, get a receipt. Keep your own copy of all the paperwork. If you need help and your worker is not available, the Worker of the Day should help you.
Within 45 days of when you turn in your application, you must either receive your first payment, or a notice that you have been denied aid. If the DHA denies your aid, they must send you a letter explaining the reason. Do not sign a “withdrawal” of your application (meaning you give up your application) unless you understand and agree with the written reason you are given.
If you are approved for cash aid for yourself, you will be required to participate in WTW unless you qualify to be excused (also called “exemption” or “good cause”). You will be getting an appointment letter to WTW shortly after you are approved for cash aid.
5. EBT Card
DHA will give you an EBT “electronic benefits card” (Golden State ADVANTAGE) to use at banks, ATM machines and stores. You access your cash aid and food stamps (“CalFresh”) through the EBT card. Ask your worker for a list of banks and ATMs near you that will not charge you a fee. Call (877) 328-9677 right away if the card is stolen, lost, or destroyed. You can get back aid used after reporting the loss.
If CalWORKs are electronically stolen or stolen because of a scam that tricked you into giving out your PIN, you must report the theft to either the county or the EBT number on the back of the EBT card within 10 days. You will then need to do additional forms and get a police report.