The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently approved a request by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) that allows current CalFresh households to purchase hot, prepared foods using their California Golden State electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card through November 22, 2020. The request was made to help residents impacted by the recent wildfires and power outages who may not be able to store food or have access to cooking facilities.
The hot food waiver applies to 35 California counties, including Orange County.
Who is eligible?
All Orange County households and individuals who are currently receiving CalFresh benefits.
Where can hot food be purchased?
CalFresh recipients wishing to purchase hot, prepared foods with their EBT cards should visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer-locator for a list of authorized EBT retailers in their area.
For more information, or to check your EBT balance, please visit the CalFresh Benefits Helpline at (877) 847-3663 (FOOD).
For immediate food assistance, please contact Orange County Food Bank at (714) 897-6670 or Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County at (949) 653-2900.
Operation Santa Claus, which began as a small effort to meet the needs of a handful of children in 1962, has become a major event for the community. This program provides gifts and toys to children who are in foster care in Orange County as well as to children of disadvantaged families who are receiving services from the County of Orange. Last year, Operation Santa Claus distributed over 41,000 toys/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 an important role in collecting toys.
In addition to Operation Santa Claus, SSA also runs Senior Santa & Friends. This program is geared toward providing gifts and special request items to low income elderly or severely disabled adults who are clients of SSA and/or the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Each year, SSA staff identifies clients who would benefit from having items such as household appliances, special medical equipment, nutritional supplements or clothing. Items received through Senior Santa & Friends help to make life easier, more comfortable or more independent. Last year, Senior Santa & Friends provided over 2,300 gifts and necessities to low-income seniors and adults with disabilities in Orange County. This was largely due to the efforts of volunteers and donations received from County employees, private companies, community-based organizations and private individuals who donate to Senior Santa & Friends annually.
“Now more than ever, Operation Santa Claus and Senior Santa and Friends is looking to our local volunteers and donors to help make the holidays special and hopeful for Orange County children, elderly and disabled adults,” said Second District Supervisor Michelle Steel, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She continued, “In past years we have seen an amazing outpouring of support from County staff and from the community to bring joy to our vulnerable populations during the holidays. We are hopeful the same tradition of giving will continue this season.”
The two programs are hoping to achieve a goal of $20,000 in total donations received by the end of this year. Orange County residents can take part by donating to Operation Santa Claus and Senior Santa & Friends as follows:
Donate new and unwrapped toys at the collection boxes placed in many County buildings including every County Library throughout Orange County. In addition, Orange County residents may also drop off toys and other gifts at 1505 E. Warner Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92705. Please call 714-679-2438 or email OperationSantaClaus@ssa.ocgov.com to ask about drop off times and locations.
Following the Governor’s Regional Stay-at-Home Order that went to effect on Sunday December 6th in Southern California and other regions throughout the state, Orange County residents are required to remain at home as much as possible to reduce their exposure to illness. As a result, the County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) highly encourages that residents apply for and/or access their essential public assistance benefits and services by phone or online and avoid in-office visits for their safety and the safety of the community.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below.
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may visit www.coveredca.com
By Phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
While SSA will also continue to offer services from four regional offices currently open to the public with limited functionality, the Agency urges the public to use alternative access points if possible. The limited functionality at four regional offices allows for in-office visits, especially for those individuals who may have limited or no access to a phone or internet. SSA triage staff will continue to conduct brief visitor health screenings at these locations and all visitors must wear appropriate face coverings prior to entering the facilities.
According to SSA Director Debra Baetz, “SSA continues to deliver essential services and critical safety net benefits to the community, and as such, we will continue to keep our four regional offices open to the public with limited hours.” She continued, “However, the same services being provided from these offices can be obtained through our online portal as well the SSA Call Center. We urge you stay home, stay safe and utilize these alternate access points.”
Residents can access other SSA services and programs as follows:
• SSA will continue to provide drive-through benefits issuance — for the distribution of new and replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Benefits Identification Cards (BIC) — by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call the SSA Call Center at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned caseworker.
• To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
• To apply for Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), please call (800) 281-9799.
• If you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or (714) 940-1000.
• Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
For additional information on SSA programs, visit: www.ssa.ocgov.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that its Aliso Viejo Regional Center (AVRC) located at 115 Columbia will close its doors on December 31, 2020. AVRC core operations and staff will be consolidated into SSA’s nearby Laguna Hills Regional Center (LHRC), located at 23330 Moulton Parkway, scheduled to re-open on January 4, 2021.
The decision to close AVRC was made as a result of the Agency’s analysis of long-term cost savings associated with the closure and determination that the consolidation of multiple programs into LHRC will allow SSA to more effectively serve the community.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below.
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may visit www.coveredca.com
By Phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
LHRC will join three other regional centers offering limited functionality, open to the public from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In-office visits are intended especially for those individuals who may have limited or no access to a phone or internet. SSA triage staff will continue to conduct brief visitor health screenings at these locations and all visitors must wear appropriate face coverings prior to entering the facilities.
With the addition of LHRC, the following SSA regional office locations open to the public will include:
Anaheim Regional Center
3320 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92806
Laguna Hills Regional Center *Re-opening 1/4/21*
23330 Moulton Parkway
Laguna Hills, CA
Garden Grove Regional Center
12912 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Santa Ana Regional Center
1928 S. Grand Ave., BLDG. B
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Residents can also access other SSA services and programs as follows:
SSA will continue to provide drive-through benefits issuance — for the distribution of new and replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Benefits Identification Cards (BIC) — by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call the SSA Call Center at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned caseworker.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
To apply for Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), please call (800) 281-9799.
If you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or (714) 940-1000.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
For additional information on SSA programs, visit: www.ssa.ocgov.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced today it will close its four open public assistance lobbies effective Tuesday, December 29, 2020. This change in operations is being made as a precautionary measure to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information should visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below.
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may visit www.coveredca.com
By Phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The SSA lobbies closing to the public effective December 29th include:
Aliso Viejo Regional Center*
115 Columbia
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Garden Grove Regional Center
12912 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Anaheim Regional Center
3320 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92806
Santa Ana Regional Center
1928 S. Grand Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
SSA eligibility staff will be stationed in front of the Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Aliso Viejo Regional Centers on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to provide critical benefits assistance to individuals who may not have access to telephone or internet services.
SSA’s other office locations will remain closed and services currently provided by appointment only will continue.
*Effective December 31, 2020, the Aliso Viejo Regional Center will shut its doors, with staff and services from that location transitioning to the Laguna Hills Regional Center (LHRC) at 23330 Moulton Parkway. The LHRC lobby will remain closed, however, eligibility staff will be stationed in front of the office on January 4, 2021 to assist individuals experiencing accessibility issues by phone/internet.
Residents can access other SSA services and programs as follows:
SSA will continue to provide drive-through benefits issuance — for the distribution of new and replacement Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Cards (BIC) — by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call the SSA Call Center at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned caseworker.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
To apply for Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), please call (800) 281-9799.
If you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or (714) 940-1000.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
For additional information on SSA programs, visit: www.ssa.ocgov.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that it will re-open four regional offices with limited functionality effective Monday, February 1, 2021, in accordance with the State’s lifting of the stay-at-home order. The re-opening will provide Orange County residents with additional access to public assistance benefits and related services, while continuing to provide safeguards that help maintain the protection of SSA clients and staff during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below, to avoid long in-person wait times and help prevent the spread of illness.
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com
By phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or at (714) 940-1000.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
Beginning February 1, 2021, the following locations will be open to the public with limited functionality, Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.:
Anaheim Regional Center
3320 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92806
Laguna Hills Regional Center
23330 Moulton Parkway
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Garden Grove Regional Center
12912 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Santa Ana Regional Center
1928 S. Grand Ave., Bldg. B & C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Clients who arrive at SSA facilities will go through a brief pre-check process prior to being allowed entry into an SSA lobby. SSA staff will inquire about the purpose of the client’s visit and will conduct a short health screening questionnaire. Visitors will be strongly encouraged to practice physical distancing throughout their visit. All visitors, unless under the age of two, those who have breathing issues or those with an underlying medical or mental health issue, are required to wear a face mask or cloth facial covering for the safety of others.
Limited visitations and Live Scan appointments will continue by appointment only for Children & Family Services clients.
All other SSA offices will remain closed to the public until further notice.
For additional information on SSA programs, please visit ssa.ocgov.com
To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that maintenance of its benefits eligibility and determination system will be performed on Saturday, February 6 and Sunday February 7, 2021. This scheduled work will lead to a system outage. As a result, the SSA Call Center will have limited functionality on Saturday, February 6th, and drive-through benefits issuance of Golden State Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Cards (BIC) will be suspended for that day.
The system is expected to resume its full operations effective 6 a.m. on Monday, February 8, 2021.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal at www.mybenefitscalwin.org. Individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org and households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may visit www.coveredca.com.
While the SSA Call Center will continue to receive calls this Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at (800) 281-9799, Call Center operators may not have the ability to fully assist clients with specific case information until the system is fully operational.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or at (714) 940-1000.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
For additional information on SSA programs, please visit ssa.ocgov.com
To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that it will extend in-person office hours at its four currently open public assistance regional centers, effective Monday, February 22, 2021. The expanded hours will help to ensure a greater number of Orange County residents have in-person access to public assistance benefits and related services, while planning for the safety and protection of SSA clients and staff during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Beginning Monday, February 22, 2021, the following locations will be open to the public with limited functionality, Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.:
Anaheim Regional Center
3320 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92806
Laguna Hills Regional Center
23330 Moulton Parkway
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Garden Grove Regional Center
12912 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Santa Ana Regional Center
1928 S. Grand Ave., Bldg. B & C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Clients who arrive at SSA facilities will go through a brief pre-check process prior to being allowed entry into an SSA lobby. SSA staff will inquire about the purpose of the client’s visit and will conduct a short health screening questionnaire. Visitors will be strongly encouraged to practice physical distancing throughout their visit. Further, all visitors, unless under the age of two, those who have breathing issues or those with an underlying medical or mental health issue, are required to wear a face mask or cloth facial covering for the safety of others.
SSA will continue to provide drive through benefits issuance of new and replacement EBT and Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Cards (BIC) by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please call the SSA Call Center at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned caseworker.
Limited visitations and Live Scan appointments remain by appointment only for Children & Family Services clients.
All other SSA offices will remain closed to the public until further notice.
Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below, to avoid long in-person wait times and help prevent the spread of illness.
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com
By phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
For additional information on SSA programs, please visit: ssa.ocgov.com. And, to stay up-to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to announce the availability of its Families and Communities Together (FaCT) platform annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-2020, covering the period from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The report addresses the critical role that FaCT and its network of 15 Family Resource Centers (FRCs) play in the County’s efforts to ensure children in Orange County grow up in stable, nurturing families and safe, supportive communities.
For over 25 years, FaCT has played an integral role in SSA’s efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect and help at-risk families thrive. FaCT FRCs provide family strengthening and support services to the community, ranging from counseling and parenting classes, comprehensive case management services, educational and training programs, as well as advocacy and community engagement. FaCT serves as a public-private partnership between SSA and numerous community-based organizations that collectively work to provide engagement and outreach, direct service delivery, fund development and professional/staff training on best practices.
In Fiscal Year 2019-2020, FaCT FRCs served more than 12,000 individuals and over 6,000 families.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that it will re-open a fifth regional office location to the public with limited functionality effective Monday, March 15, 2021. The Agency’s Cypress Regional Center joins the following open SSA public assistance benefits offices, with lobby hours from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
Anaheim Regional Center
3320 E. La Palma Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92806
Laguna Hills Regional Center
23330 Moulton Parkway
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Cypress Regional Center
6100 Chip Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630
Santa Ana Regional Center
1928 S. Grand Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Garden Grove Regional Center
12912 Brookhurst Street
Garden Grove, CA 92840
In alignment with the other open regional centers, clients who arrive at the SSA Cypress location will go through a brief pre-check process prior to being allowed entry into an SSA lobby. SSA staff will inquire about the purpose of the client’s visit and will conduct a short health screening questionnaire. Visitors will be strongly encouraged to practice physical distancing throughout their visit. All visitors, unless under the age of two, those who have breathing issues or those with an underlying medical or mental health issue, are required to wear a face mask or cloth facial covering for the safety of others.
The County of Orange Social Services Agency (OCSSA) provides Adult Services, Aid Programs, eligibility for public assistance benefits, Children & Family Services and Family Self-Sufficiency programs to the County’s residents. OCSSA employs more than 4,000 staff across Orange County. For more information, visit us at ssa.ocgov.com.
SSA continues to highly encourage Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below, to avoid long in-person wait times and help prevent the spread of illness.
Online: www.mybenefitscalwin.org
As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com
By phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
Call Center hours are Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464 or at (714) 940-1000.
Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.
Limited visitations and Live Scan appointments will continue by appointment only for Children & Family Services clients.
All other SSA offices will remain closed to the public until further notice.
For additional information on SSA programs, please visit: ssa.ocgov.com, and to stay up to-date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.
