Click on the buttons to see the programs for each benefit
Medi-Cal - Free health coverage for low-income Californians.
Immigration status does not matter!
How to apply?
Online: https://benefitscal.com/
Over phone (LA County): (866) 613-3777 (press 2 after you select your language)
In person at DPSS office.
With help from a trusted clinic or provider
With help from BAILA!
In-Home Supportive Services - Money paid to a family member or caretaker to provide in-home assistance to someone who has a disability. In order to be approved for IHSS, the person must have a qualifying disability and must be eligible for Medi-Cal. Learn more:
How to apply?
In person at a DPSS office
By phone: (888) 944 – 4477
By fax: learn more - In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) (lacounty.gov)
Covered CA - Subsidized private health insurance for working families (for people whose income is too high to qualify for Medi-Cal. More information: https://www.coveredca.com/
How to apply?
Online: https://www.coveredca.com/apply/
With help from BAILA!
Call:
Arabic - (800) 826-6317
Cantonese - 粵語 - (800) 339-8938
Mandarin - 普通话 - (800) 300-1533
Hmong - Hmoob - (800) 771-2156
Korean - 한국어 - (800) 738-9116
Russian - русский - (800) 778-7695
Filipino - Tagalog - (800) 983-8816
Armenian - հայերեն - (800) 996-1009
Farsi - (800) 921-8879
Khmer - (800) 906-8528
Lao - (800) 357-7976
Spanish - Español - (800) 300-0213
Vietnamese - Tiếng Việt - (800) 652-9528
CalFresh - Monthly payment to help pay for groceries. Learn more: https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/home/meet-calfresh
How to apply?
In person at DPSS office
Online: https://benefitscal.com/
By phone: (866) 613-3777
With help from BAILA!
WIC - money to buy healthy foods for pregnant and breastfeeding women, babies, and children under 5. You also get breastfeeding supplies and nutrition classes. Learn more:
Find another WIC provider: https://myfamily.wic.ca.gov/Home/WICOfficeGrocer
CalWORKs - Monthly cash payments to families with minor children; also, help for working and student parents, like childcare, transportation, and money for books and uniforms.
CalWORKs participants may receive additional assistance if they are unhoused or can’t pay rent. Learn more here: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/cash/calworks.html
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
Online: https://benefitscal.com/
By phone: (866) 613-3777
General Relief (GR) - Monthly cash payments ($221) for adults with no children.
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
Online: https://benefitscal.com/
By phone: (866) 613-3777
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) - Monthly cash payments to immigrants who are 65 or older or have a disability and are not eligible for SSI because of immigration status
Learn more here: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/cash/capi.html
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
By phone: (866) 613-3777
No option to apply online on BenefitsCal right now
Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program (TCVAP) - Twelve months of cash aid for U/T Visa applicants/holders who do not have children.
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
By phone: (866) 613-3777
Apply using the application for cash aid on BenefitsCal
Tips - Applicants should state clearly that they want to apply for state-funded TCVAP cash aid – they may otherwise be prompted to apply for GR or CalWORKs as DPSS workers often do not identify TCVAP-eligible applicants
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) - temporary assistance and job or student services for people granted refugee status. Learn more: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/cash/rca.html
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
Online: https://benefitscal.com/
By phone: (866) 613-3777
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - Monthly payments for people who are disabled or over 65 and do not have 10 years of work history
How to apply?
Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-772-1213
Application Information:
SSI - https://www.ssa.gov/ssi
SSI Protective Filing Tool (to start application – preserve filing date) - https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/start.html
• CBEST Referral Form - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Migc_3ZJIQxWoYPt-EKnjx7tIiYb14eR/view
SSDI - Insurance payments for workers with 10 years of work history who are disabled. Learn more: https://www.ssa.gov/disability?tl=0
Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-772-1213
For SSDI – CBEST Referral Form
Application Information:
Retirement - https://www.ssa.gov/apply
Social Security Retirement - monthly payments for people with sufficient work history
How to apply?
Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-772-1213
Retirement - https://www.ssa.gov/apply
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) - Monthly cash payments to immigrants who are 65 or older or have a disability and are not eligible for SSI because of immigration status
Learn more here: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/cash/capi.html
How to apply?
In-person at DPSS office
By phone: (866) 613-3777
No option to apply online on BenefitsCal right now
Veterans' Benefits - Disability and education benefits for veterans
VA Benefits Helpline: 1-800-983-0937
Unemployment Insurance Benefit (UIB) - Benefit to workers who are unemployed or have hours reduced
How to apply?
English and Spanish 1-800-300-5616
o Cantonese 1-800-547-3506
o Mandarin 1-866-303-0706
o Vietnamese 1-800-547-2058
o TTY 1-800-815-9387
State Disability Insurance (SDI) - short-term cash assistance for workers who cannot work because of a non-work-related injury, illness or pregnancy.
How to apply?
If undocumented - see Legal Aid at Work Guide for special instructions!
Paid Family Leave (PFL) - Cash assistance for workers who need time off to take care of a new baby or sick family member.
How to apply?
If undocumented - see Legal Aid at Work Guide for special instructions!
LIHEAP - help with electricity and gas bills; can also get assistance with weatherization costs
How to apply?
“CARE” Discount (30-35% discount electricity, 20% discount gas)
How to apply?
Depends on your utility:
SoCal Edison (1-800-447-6620)
SoCalGas (1-800-427-2200)
LADWP has its own programs for low-income households
Call 1-800-342-5397
“FERA” Discount – SoCal Edison (offers an 18% discount on electricity bill if household income slightly exceeds the CARE allowances)
How to apply?
or call 1-800-447-6620
Medical Baseline Allowance (additional gas or electricity at lowest residential rate – for folks who have serious medical conditions and are on life-supporting machines or need additional heating/cooling)
How to apply?
SCE App. (1-800-447-6620)
SoCalGas App. (1-800-427-2200)
LADWP: Life-Support Equipment Discount and Physician Certified Allowance Discount:
1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397)
There are no restrictions on the benefits that US Citizens may be eligible for. Though, of course, they wil still have to meet other eligibility criteria (i.e. income and asset limits, etc.).
LPRs may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above in CA.*
Note: Depending on when the person received their green card and their work history, they may be eligible for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) instead of SSI.
*Except for those that are specifically for refugees or survivors of trafficking and serious crime.
Folks who have been GRANTED refugee or asylee status may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above in California.
Note: If the asylum or refugee status was granted more than 7 years ago, the person may be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI.
Refugees can get Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) for 12 months.
DACA recipients may be eligible for:
Medi-Cal
In-Home Supportive Services
WIC
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) if the person is over the age of 65 and/or has a disability
Unemployment benefits from EDD
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - but NOT Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Certain tax credits.
VAWA self-petitioners who have received their prima facie determination may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above - though they would likely be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI.
Folks who have a pending U Visa application or whose application has been approved may be eligible for all of the programs listed above – though, they would receive CAPI instead of SSI.
Note that people with pending/approved U Visa applications who do not have minor children can get a special form of cash aid called TCVAP for up to 12 months.
Welfare agencies often get confused when working with U Visa applicants and holders. If an application for benefits is denied, please contact the BAILA Network or another trusted organization (https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/i-need-legal-help).
Trafficking survivors who are currently in the process of preparing a T Visa application AND have not yet received a letter from ORR certifying them as a trafficking survivor --> may be eligible for all of the programs listed above (except - they'd be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI – and TCVAP instead of RCA)
Must submit the T Visa application within 12 months
Trafficking survivors who have a T Visa application pending or approved - eligible for all programs listed above (except they would get TCVAP instead of RCA)
Note - if the person has received an ORR certification letter, they would be eligible for federal benefits (so RCA instead of TCVAP)
Folks who qualify as PRUCOL may be eligible for:
Medi-Cal
IHSS
CAPI
WIC
tax assistance and other benefits.
The person may be eligible for Medi-Cal, WIC, State Disability Insurance, Paid Family Leave, and tax assistance among others.
For special guidance about State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave, see: https://legalaidatwork.org/guides/undocumented-workers-guide-to-applying-for-california-disability-insurance-paid-family-leave/
Note: If someone is undocumented and has children who are US Citizens, they can enroll their children in all of the benefits listed above.
If you want to learn more about whether using public benefits for eligible children could impact a parent in a public charge determination, go to the Public Charge info page. If you want to talk about your own situation specifically, contact a trusted legal services provider.
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