ABOUT CALWORKS
CalWORKs is a welfare program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families. The program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by county welfare departments. If a family has little or no cash and needs housing, food, utilities, clothing or medical care, they may be eligible to receive immediate short-term help. Families that apply and qualify for ongoing assistance receive money each month to help pay for housing, food and other necessary expenses.
CalWORKs payments are issued in the form of a check. The amount of a family's monthly assistance payment depends on a number of factors, including the number of people who are eligible and the special needs of any of those family members. The income of the family is considered in calculating the amount of cash aid the family receives.
There are other programs and benefits for which a family may qualify by being on CalWORKs. See Other Programs and Services for a listing of these services.
Eligibility
Specific eligibility requirements take into account an applicant's citizenship, age, income, resources, assets and other factors. Generally, services are available to:
- Families that have a child(ren) in the home who has been deprived of parental support or care because of the absence, disability or death of either parent.
- Families with a child(ren) when both parents are in the home but the principal earner is unemployed. Needy caretaker relatives of a foster child(ren).
Applying for Benefits
There are welfare offices located in each of the 58 California counties. Needy families may apply for CalWORKs at any office located in the county where they live. The county welfare department is listed under the County Government Section of the telephone book.
Next, the welfare office will set up an interview with one of its workers to obtain facts and verify eligibility. Applicants must provide the County with proof of income and property, citizenship status, age, social security number, residence, shelter costs, work or school status and other information. Similar information may be requested for all of the people in the home. Additionally, adult family members must also be fingerprinted and photo imaged.
At the interview, the County will advise applicants of the rules that must be met to be eligible for CalWORKs. If the County determines that the applicants are eligible for CalWORKs, the family will receive monthly checks from the county welfare department until determined ineligible.
Other Programs and Services
- Food Stamps: In most cases, eligible CalWORKs families qualify for food stamps to help meet their food needs. Often, the CalWORKs application is automatically used by the County to assess the family's food stamp eligibility.
- Medical Coverage: In most cases, each member of the family getting CalWORKs will also qualify for Medi-Cal which will pay for most medical costs. The County will explain this benefit to the applicant.
- Child Support: If the family includes a child aided by CalWORKs whose parent is not living with the caretaker, the County will automatically notify the County District Attorney's (D.A.'s) Office . The DA will provide all necessary child support services, including establishing paternity, establishing and enforcing a support obligation and collecting support payments. If the child's paternity has not been previously established, the adult caretaker is required to help the county child support agency do so. This may mean participating in an interview and submitting the child to blood testing if the alleged parent, once contacted, refuses to acknowledge paternity.
- Family Planning: Any member of the family can get information about methods for planning family size, deciding when to have children and preventing unwanted pregnancies. The County will provide information if a family asks for it.
- Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP): Regular, preventative medical check-ups are available to help protect those members of the CalWORKs family who are under the age of 21. The County will provide the family with information about this benefit.
- Child Care: Families that receive CalWORKs may also be eligible for child care services, such as help paying child care costs. The County will explain to the family what services are available.
WELFARE TO WORK
Current welfare rules ensure that individuals who work are better off financially than if they do not work. California's Welfare to Work (WTW) program is designed to assist welfare recipients to obtain or prepare for employment. The welfare to work program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by each county welfare department or its contractors:
- All welfare to work participants receive an orientation to the program and an appraisal of their education and employment background.
- Initially, most individuals receive job search services (assistance in finding a job).
Additional employment-related services are provided based on an individual's education and work history. Individuals may be assigned to:
- Unpaid work experience/preparation.
- Vocational training placements.
- Adult education or community college programs.
In addition, program participants may be eligible for help with child care , transportation, and work-related or training-related expenses. Moreover, participants who find a job and are no longer eligible for welfare may continue to receive help with medical care and child care expenses.
Recipients of CalWORKs - requirements and services:
- Unless exempt, applicants/recipients of CalWORKs are required to participate in welfare to work activities as a condition of receiving aid.
- CalWORKs recipients who are not required to participate in welfare to work activities may volunteer to take part in the program.
- Adults in one-parent families must spend at least 32 hours per week in welfare to work activities. The minimum participation requirement for two-parent families is 35 hours per week. After receiving aid for up to a maximum of 24 months, non-exempt adults must work in unsubsidized employment or participate in community services activities for the minimum number of hours listed above.
- After recipients find work, a variety of services are available for up to 12 months to assist them to retain their employment and become fully self-sufficient (e.g. child care, transportation, other supportive services).
- Implementing legislation and regulations have provided expanded flexibility to counties to tailor their welfare to work programs to meet the needs of their clients and the local labor market conditions.
If you have general questions about CalWorks, contact the welfare department listed under the County Government section of the telephone book. If you have questions or concerns about your benefits, contact your County eligibility worker. If you receive a Notice of Action that you disagree with, follow the directions on the back of the notice to request a hearing and call us for advice or assistance.
FRESNO COUNTY CaLWORKS: 559-456-7317
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION
