The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) will discontinue its Saturday call center hours due to decreased call volumes.
Call agents who normally work on Saturdays will provide additional coverage during the weekdays when call volumes are highest. The weekend hours were part of the response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Residents who want to apply for public assistance benefits or update their case information can continue to call 800-281-9799 during the Agency’s extended weekday call hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Customers may also visit an SSA regional office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For regional office locations, visit www.ssa.ocgov.com.
Clients can visit www.mybenefitscalwin.org to apply for or check on existing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or General Relief public assistance benefits or they may contact their designated case worker, if applicable.
The March 25 Community Resources & Health Fair, held in response to the loss of CalFresh emergency benefits, brought together more than 15 community partners to address the basic needs of vulnerable Orange County residents.
SSA’s eligibility staff provided live benefits assistance for more than 200 attendees who visited the Agency’s Mobile Response Vehicle, which is used as an office on wheels. CalFresh applicants who were approved for benefits received their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards on site that day.
“Thank you to all the community partners for making this event a success for our residents. The sheer volume of attendees demonstrates we still have more work to do. I plan to host future resource events in my district to continue supporting our most vulnerable community members,” said Supervisor Sarmiento.
SSA, whose public assistance benefits programs and services assist one in three Orange County residents, supports events like this one by bringing its Mobile Response Vehicles and teams of eligibility professionals out into the community.
“Visiting our clients where they live, participating in local community events and speaking with them in the language they are most comfortable helps build connections with them. We are here to help, and we are able to serve families and individuals more holistically when we collaborate closely with our partners such as CalOptima Health, the OC Hunger Alliance, Second Harvest Food Bank, OC Food Bank, Santa Ana Unified School District and many others who serve our clients as well,” said SSA Director An Tran.
Other participating partners included Abound Food Care, the Behavioral Health Advisory Board, City of Santa Ana, Community Action Partnership of Orange County, the Delhi Center, Head Start, Latino Health Access, Ministerios Betesda, OC Health Care Agency, OC Office on Aging, Rancho Santiago Community College Board of Trustees, Santa Ana College, Public Law Center and United Across Borders Foundation.
Residents receiving CalFresh benefits are encouraged to update their records when they have changes in their income or expenses, such as loss of a job or pay cuts, or increased daycare costs, rent or utilities. Seniors can maximize their benefits by reporting medical expenses that exceed $35 a month, in addition to their shelter and utility expenses.
Residents can update their information or apply:
Online at http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org to apply for or check on existing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or General Relief public assistance benefits or alternatively through one of the following options:
In response to the loss of CalFresh emergency allotments, Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, Second District, and the County of Orange Social Services Agency have organized a Community Resources & Health Fair.
The fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25 at Centennial Park, near the corner of Edinger Avenue and Fairview Street.
Residents can receive food and free diapers while supplies last, apply for public assistance benefits such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief or CalWORKs, and visit with participating partners to find out more about other services and resources available to them. A DJ will provide musical entertainment and children can enjoy an arts and crafts area.
“The end of the COVID-19 CalFresh emergency benefits and the return to the Medi-Cal renewal process will hit Central Orange County the hardest, especially cities within my district, including Santa Ana and Anaheim. Many of our residents will now struggle to find ways to make up for these losses. The Community Resources & Health Fair will connect our most vulnerable community members directly to vital support provided through our Social Services Agency and partner organizations,” said Supervisor Sarmiento.
Participating partners include CalOptima Health, the city of Santa Ana, Latino Health Access, the Delhi Center, the OC Hunger Alliance, the OC Health Care Agency, the OC Office on Aging, Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Ana College, Second Harvest Food Bank and United Across Borders Foundation, among many others. Each will work with attendees to share resources to help them navigate today’s economic climate.
SSA will bring its Mobile Response Vehicle – an office on wheels – and a team of eligibility professionals to assist attendees in applying for public assistance benefits or to answer questions recipients may have about their current benefits. In-language services will be available.
“This event brings together the pieces – our partners – who can help solve the puzzle of how residents can manage increased costs, from food to rent to gas and utilities, in one of the highest cost of living areas in the nation. SSA is grateful to Supervisor Sarmiento and our partners for joining us in answering the call for help,” said SSA Director An Tran.
Orange County, Calif. (February 6, 2023) – Orange County residents will see lower CalFresh benefits starting in April due to the federal government’s enactment of the Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The federal law ends the authority for the state of California to issue CalFresh emergency allotments, effective February 28, 2023. Emergency allotments are an extra benefit in addition to regular CalFresh amounts and accounted for roughly $30 million a month for Orange County residents during the Public Health Emergency. As recipients are paid in arrears, their last emergency allotment will be issued in March payments to their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) notified Orange County CalFresh recipients of the end of the emergency allotments. According to CDSS, “[a]s this is a required change, there are no hearing rights related to the loss of Emergency Allotment benefits. No further action is required.” Anyone with questions about the end of the emergency allotments should call the state’s hotline at (888) 445-1955.
Regular CalFresh benefit amounts will not change and will continue to be put on EBT cards within the first 10 days of each month.
While the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) does not have the authority to continue emergency allotments past the expiration date, it does encourage recipients to call the SSA call center. Eligibility specialists can review changes in the household – such as an increase in expenses or a decrease in income – to ensure recipients receive the highest possible amount in benefits. The SSA call center, (800) 281-9799, is available from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Residents can also call 2-1-1 or visit http://www.211oc.org to be connected with food and other resources.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or those wishing to review existing case information are encouraged to visit www.ssa.ocgov.com or use one of the options below:
http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org to apply for or check on existing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or General Relief public assistance benefits or alternatively through one of the following options:
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced today that its Cypress Regional Center at 6100 Chip Ave. will temporarily close beginning December 16, 2022. This location will be closed for approximately a year to allow for necessary construction repairs.
In addition to contacting their assigned case worker, SSA clients can obtain services, as follows:
Online at http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org to apply for or check on existing Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs or General Relief public assistance benefits or alternatively through one of the following options:
The following areas have shown improvement for the lives and well-being of Orange County’s youth:
Economic Well-Being: The percentage of children receiving CalFresh increased slightly from 2019-20, ending a five-year decline. In 2020-21, more than one in 10 children under 18 (12.9% or 91,088 children) received CalFresh. As an indicator of poverty, an increase in the number of children receiving these benefits can be viewed as a negative trend but there has been significant outreach efforts in Orange County to ensure more eligible children are receiving these benefits.
Educational Achievement:The high school dropout rate hit a 10-year low, while college readiness hit a 10-year high. The Orange County cohort dropout rate for 2020-21 was 4% compared to 8.9% in 2011-12. College readiness among these graduates also reached a 10-year high. In 2020-21, Orange County had 36,747 high school graduates, of which 57% were UC/CSU eligible, higher than California’s eligibility rate of 52%.
Safe Homes and Communities: The juvenile arrest rate continued a decade-long decline, dropping by 81% since 2011. In 2020 there were 2,053 juvenile arrests compared with 10,801 juvenile arrests in 2011. An arrest is usually a youth’s first formal encounter with the juvenile justice system. It is important that at this first encounter a pattern of juvenile delinquency does not continue into adulthood.
While much progress has been made, continued areas of focus include behavioral health and housing, among others.
This year’s report also includes a special section that takes a deeper look at economic well-being and how it is changing and influencing the health and wellbeing of children and youth in Orange County.
“While this report reflects the myriad ways economic well-being influences children’s ability to be successful as they grow into adults, it also provides an opportunity to recognize the strength and resiliency of those children and their families as they face and overcome economic hardships,” said OC Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District, who also served as the Chair of the Orange County Children’s Partnership (OCCP), the advisory board responsible for publishing the report in 2022. Chairman Chaffee continues, “Together, with the community, we can continue to build the support systems to help Orange County children achieve healthy, successful and safe lives.”
The Operation Santa Claus (OSC) and Senior Santa and Friends (SSF) holiday gift drives have served Orange County’s most vulnerable children, seniors and disabled adults for 60 and 30 years, respectively.
OSC began as a small effort to meet the needs of a handful of children in 1962 and has since become a major community event. The program provides gifts and toys to children who are in foster care in Orange County as well as to children of disadvantaged families receiving services from the County of Orange. Last year, OSC distributed more than 19,000 toys and gifts to children in need. This would not be possible without the generosity and collaborative effort of County of Orange employees, community-based organizations, businesses and individuals in the community who play a significant role in collecting toys and gifts.
“The Orange County community has consistently come together for decades to bring cheer to our most vulnerable residents during the holidays,” said Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “If nothing else, the last few years have shown us how much we need one another and how much community support can mean to those in need.”
SSF provides gifts and special request items to low-income seniors or severely disabled adults who are clients of the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) and/or the OC Health Care Agency. Clients receive items such as household appliances, special medical equipment, nutritional supplements or clothing. Items received through SSF help make life easier, more comfortable and more independent for recipients. Last year, SSF provided over 1,115 gifts and necessities to low-income seniors and adults with disabilities in Orange County.
Support from generous donors helped the programs exceed last year’s goal of $30,000 raised. This year organizers are hoping to raise $35,000 in total donations by the end of this year. Orange County residents can support Operation Santa Claus and Senior Santa and Friends by:
Donating new and unwrapped toys at the collection boxes placed in many County buildings, including most County libraries. In addition, Orange County residents may also drop off toys and other gifts at the OSC and SSF drop-off center at 1505 E. Warner Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705. Gifts may also be shipped to 1505 E. Warner Ave., G-101, Santa Ana, CA 92705.
Giving back by coordinating an Angel Tag toy/gift drive for a child or senior in need of a holiday present.
Donating online at:
ssa.ocgov.com/DonateOSC
ssa.ocgov.com/DonateSSF
For more information about Operation Santa Claus, please call (714) 679-2438 or email OperationSantaClaus@ssa.ocgov.com.
For more information about Senior Santa and Friends, please call (714) 825-3111 or e-mail Senior.Santa@ssa.ocgov.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is warning clients who possess an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to be on the lookout for potential scammers trying to obtain confidential client information in order to commit fraud through fake websites.
EBT cardholders should be aware their accounts can only be accessed and viewed at www.ebt.ca.gov/cardholder. Counterfeit websites that look similar to the state’s EBT website attempt to obtain personal information, including but not limited to an EBT card number and/or personal identification number (PIN), Social Security number, bank information and/or date of birth. Please be advised this information may be used to withdraw funds from recipient accounts.
Clients are advised NOT to give out their personal information. Please remember that SSA will never ask for your personal information in a text message or via email.
If you are unsure if a request for information is legitimate, please contact the SSA call center to confirm the request at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned case worker if you have one.
If you have provided your personal information through text message, email or other suspicious means, it is recommended you change your PIN and report your EBT card as lost or stolen by calling:
The state’s EBT Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (877) 328-9677, or
The SSA call center from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays.
You may also wish to file a report with your local police department.
Văn Phòng Trung Tâm Phục Vụ Cộng Đồng Quận Hạt, 15496 Magnolia St. Tại thành phố Westminster, sẽ đóng cửa để sửa chữa từ trưa thứ Năm, 7 tháng Tư đến trưa thứ Hai, 11 tháng Tư.
Các cư dân được khuyến khích nên sử dụng một trong những địa điểm khác cho các dịch vụ.
Khách hàng thuộc Cơ Quan Đặc Trách Xã Hội Quận Cam (SSA) có thể vào http://www.mybenefitscalwin.org để nạp đơn hay tìm hiểu các vấn đề liên quan đến Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs hay những trợ cấp xã hội tổng quát hay bằng cách khác qua một trong những phương thức:
Để liên lạc với Văn Phòng Đặc Trách Người Cao Niên Quận Cam, xin gọi số điện thoại miễn phí (800) 510-2020 thứ Hai đến thứ Sáu từ 8 gờ sáng đến 5 giờ chiều hay email areaagencyonaging@occr.ocgov.com để được trợ giúp.
Khách hàng của Cơ Quan Đặc Trách Gia Cư Quận Cam (OCHA) co thể vào https://ochousing.org/ cho những thông tin tổng quát liên quan đến các chương trình OCHA. Khách hàng cũng có thể liên lạc một trong những địa điểm trực tuyến để được trợ giúp liên quan đến:
Danh sách Đang Chờ OCHA hiện tại đang đóng. Đối với những khách hàng hiện đang trong danh sách chờ có hiệu lực OCHA’s 2012, các thông tin có thể tìm thấy tại https://www.waitlistcheck.com/.
Khách hàng cũng có thể liên lạc với OCHA qua điện thoại tại:
(714) 480-2700
(800) 735-2929 Dịch Vụ Chuyển Tiếp California (California Relay Service)
Giờ điện thoại tiếp tân từ 8 giờ sáng đến 5 giờ chiều. Thứ Hai đến Thứ Sáu
Tiếp kiến tận mặt từ 8 giờ sáng đến 5 giờ chiều. Thứ Hai đến Thứ Năm và xin lấy hẹn. Quý vị có thể vào https://ochousing.org/conact-us để biết thêm thông tin.
Khách hàng Cơ Quan Y Tế Công Cộng Quận Cam cần sự trợ giúp có thể gọi đường giây the OCLINKs tại (855) 625-4657.
