CalFresh can help you and your family.
CalFresh (formerly Food Stamps) enables you to buy more food, improve health and nutrition, and stretch your grocery budget.
To request a CalFresh application or get more information, call
916) 874-3100 or
(209) 744-0499
Apply for CalFresh
online.
For more information about how to apply and use CalFresh,
read brochure.
In certain situations, you may qualify to receive emergency CalFresh within three (3) days.
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
As of August 21st, changes were made to improve your CalWORKs customer experience. You will no longer have a single worker assigned to help you with your benefits because any worker can help you when you call or come in. But you don't have to come in and wait. A new CalWORKs Service Center is available with enhanced and expanded phone services to better serve you when you call
(916) 874-3100![]( "Call: (916) 874-3100")
or
(209) 744-0499![]( "Call: (209) 744-0499")
, Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. You may also access your benefits online ANYTIME at www.mybenefitscalwin.org or come in Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. For your convenience, we encourage you to take advantage of the expanded phone services and call the Service Center first to avoid office visits. When you call, follow the prompts for language choice and for CalWORKs. Your call will be answered by a worker who is there to help you.
The CalWORKs Program is California’s replacement of the Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) Program. Also known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), this program provides cash assistance for eligible families with children (time-limited for non-exempt adults). In 2013, approximately 33,000 families received CalWORKs in Sacramento County.
For more information on the CalWORKs program, see:
CalWORKs Wellness Team
The Sacramento County CalWORKs Wellness Team provides counseling services to help break down barriers to employment for CalWORKs eligible customers. Services include: • Confidential assessment and treatment of mental health and substance abuse needs. • Authorization and referral to intensive alcohol and drug treatment if needed. • Referrals for medication evaluation and support if needed. • Linkage to resources and tools to assist you in your recovery. To access services, call the CalWORKs Wellness Team referral line at
(916)875-3309 or request a referral from Department of Human Assistance staff.
Alcohol and Drug Services
Sacramento County Alcohol and Drug Services offers a variety of substance use disorder services to CalWORKs eligible beneficiaries. These services include outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, withdrawal management (detoxification), residential treatment and transitional/sober living environments. To find out more about alcohol and drug services call
(916) 874-9754.
New Rules for CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work Activities
Starting January 1, 2013, there will be new rules that give you more Welfare-to-Work Activity options and require fewer participation hours for single-adult families.
The new rules do not change your CalWORKs 48-month time limit or your cash aid amount, but the WTW rules to stay on aid have changed.
Summary of New WTW Rules
- Starting January 1, 2013, there is a new WTW 24-month Time Clock (within the 48-month Time Clock).
- For most families, there are fewer required hours of participation.
- You will have more choices of activities you can participate in during the WTW 24-Month Time Clock period. At the end of the WTW 24-month Time Clock period, you will have fewer choices of activities that count.
- There are times when your WTW 24-Month Time Clock may stop. Months when your clock is stopped will not count towards your WTW 24-Month Time Clock.
Additional details are available in the following documents:
New Calworks Rules for WTW
SB1041 FAQ
The
Cal-Learn Program, a program for pregnant or parenting teens under the age of 19 on welfare, is a statewide, mandatory program designed to help them graduate from high school and become self-sufficient.
The
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) is a state-funded program for aged, blind and disabled legal immigrants who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment Program (SSI/SSP) due to immigration status. Sacramento is the administering county for the North State/Orange CAPI Consortium. DHA staff processes applications and maintains continuing cases for 26 Northern California counties, including Sacramento.
What is CalWORKs and the Three Stage Child Care System?
CalWORKs provides cash aid and services to eligible needy families. One of the services provided to help families achieve self–sufficiency is temporary child care subsidies.
The CalWORKs program created a three stage child care system to aid families in getting connected to local child care resources.
When someone enters the CalWORKs program their child care is considered Stage One. The Stage One child care subsidy remains active until the participant's work activity becomes stable and then they are transferred to Stage Two. The participant can remain in Stage Two for 24 months past the time their cash aid is discontinued or until their income reaches 75% of the state's median income. Stage Three is for former CalWORKs clients, diversion clients, and the general population when spaces are funded and available.
More information is available at the
Childcare Services site.
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is a benefit issuance system that allows you to get your CalFresh or cash benefits using a debit-type card. EBT replaces paper checks and CalFresh so no more lost or stolen benefits. You do not need a bank account to use EBT.
This State website is a resource for California EBT cardholders to check individual account balances, view transaction history detail, check claim status, and locate retailers and automated teller machines (ATMs) that accept the EBT card. The Golden State Advantage card is California's EBT card.
By knowing the facts about your Golden State Advantage Card, or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card, you can get ALL of your cash benefits each month and pay NO surcharges or transaction fees.
The Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance (DHA) is implementing the EBT Restaurant Meals Program on May 1, 2006. With this new program, more than 4,000 elderly, disabled, or homeless people, who receive food stamp benefits in Sacramento County, will be able to purchase prepared hot meals in addition to making their grocery store purchases using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.
Restaurant Meals Fact Sheet |
Poster |Approved Restaurant List |
Approved Restaurant List (Spanish) |
Map of Approved Restaurants
