Frequently Asked Questions About CalWORKs

Cash benefits for the care of needy children may be available when:

• When one or both parents is deceased
• When one or both parents is physically or mentally incapacitated
• When the principal wage earner parent is unemployed
• When one or both parents is continually absent from the home in which the child is living

Regional office locations

On the day you apply for CalWORKs assistance, you will be asked to complete some forms and to listen to an explanation of your rights and responsibilities. You will be given an appointment to return within one working day to see a Social Worker and complete the application process. To expedite the process, you are advised to bring the following items with you if applicable:

• Identification (Drivers License or California Identification Card)
• Social Security Card or verification that they have applied for all family members
• Verification of rent and utilities
• Statements of Bank Accounts and any other resources
• Proof from US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly INS) of permanent resident alien status.
• Immunization
• Verification of income, wages and Social Security Benefits
• A copy of vehicle registration

The amount of cash assistance a family receives varies by the number of family members and income.

Adults under the CalWORKs program are limited to receiving cash benefits for a lifetime cumulative period of 60 months.

• Recipients must inform their worker about specific changes that might affect their benefits within 10 days. The worker will explain the Rights and Responsibilities on what must be reported. Correct and timely reporting is important because the recipient must pay back benefits if too much is issued.
• Recipients must submit a report each quarter that gives the information needed to make sure that the rules are still being met. This report is called a Quarterly Eligibility/Status Report (QR 7).
• The Welfare-To-Work program can help get the skills needed to get a job. Recipients will be asked to attend an Orientation that will give information of the responsibilities in finding a job.

• EBT is a benefit issuance system, using a debit-type card, which is run by Citicorp Electronic Financial Services (CEFS) under a contract with the state.
• "Golden State Advantage Card” is the name of the EBT card that the client will use. Each client will have their own card and will use it via their own Personal Identification Number (PIN).
• The EBT card can be used just like a debit card at ATMs and Point-of-Sale (POS) devices.
• The client has separate accounts for Food Stamps and for cash and they are both on the same card.
• If a client does not use all of their benefits in a given month, the balances will "roll over" to the next month. The EBT card can be used outside of Orange County. All Food Stamp cases are included.

For additional EBT FAQs click here.