California Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

The Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) is a California State-funded program that provides a monthly cash benefit to aged (65 years or over), blind or disabled non-citizens who are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment (SSI/SSP) solely due to their immigration status. If an immigrant has a sponsor, the income and assets of the sponsor will be considered in determining eligibility to CAPI.
 
CAPI participants may be eligible for Medi-Cal, In-Home Support Services (IHSS) and CalFresh (Food Assistance), but they must apply separately. 

Cal-Learn

Cal-Learn is a statewide program for pregnant and parenting teens, both moms and dads, who receive CalWORKs. The goal of Cal-Learn is to help teens graduate from high school, become independent and form healthy families. The Cal-Learn program addresses the unique educational, health and other supportive service needs of pregnant and parenting teens who are receiving CalWORKs benefits.  Unless the teen meets an exemption or has already obtained a high school diploma or equivalent, the program is mandatory to maintain CalWORKs benefits and is offered in place of the Welfare-to-Work program.

CalWORKs Cash Aid

CalWORKs is California's cash aid (welfare) program for needy families. The program helps eligible families become self-supporting through temporary cash aid and employment services. The program is time-limited and for families that are under certain income and property guidelines and have a qualifying child. These families are automatically eligible to receive Medi-Cal benefits and usually eligible to CalFresh benefits. Unless they meet an exemption, an adult receiving cash aid through the CalWORKs program is required to participate in the Welfare-to-Work Program. Welfare-to-Work provides supportive services, while the adult participates in employment, training or other approved activities, which may include, but are not limited to, counseling, job preparedness, job development, training, childcare, transportation, work clothes and tools.  Services are family focused and specific to the needs of each family.

Diversion Services

CalWORKs Diversion is cash or non-cash supportive services offered to a family to meet a specific current need or emergency. It is intended to provide immediate assistance that can help parents keep or start a job and continue to be self-supporting. In order to be eligible, the family must be apparently eligible to CalWORKs but choose to receive a one-time service or referral in place of monthly cash aid benefits.

Expanded Subsidized Employment Services

Expanded Subsidized Employment is a sixteen week paid training program for individuals participating in Welfare to Work. The goal is to help participants gain job readiness and retention skills  to transition them to unsubsidized employment. The training courses that are offered include certification in the following areas:

• Clerical Training
• Computer Skills
• Retail Certification
• Security Services
• Accounting

Participants receive real time on the job training with local  businesses through out our county.

Family Stabilization Services

Family Stabilization Services (FSS) is a component of the CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work (WTW) program. FSS are designed to ensure a basic level of stability within a family prior to, or concurrently with, participation in WTW activities.

The goal of Family Stabilization is to increase participants’ success in WTW through more intensive case management and the assignment of participants to additional activities or barrier removal services.

If the family is experiencing an identified situation and/or crisis that is destabilizing the family and would interfere with the adult’s ability to participate in Welfare-to-Work activities and services, they will be screened for Family Stabilization Program eligibility.

General Assistance Cash Aid

General Assistance (GA) is a County-funded cash aid program to help needy individuals and families with no child(ren) under the age of 18 living with them. The program provides money, vouchers and job-related services for needy persons who are not eligible to Federal and State cash aid programs. Applicants may apply for the General Assistance Employable Program or the General Assistance Disabled Program. The Employable program is a 12-week, time limited program and applicants must perform job search activities at the local Job Center.  The GA Disabled program is for individual who have a short-term (under 12 months) or long-term disability (12 months or longer) as determined by a physician or mental health professional. If an individual has a long-termed disability, they must apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI/SSP) and Social Security Disability (RSDI). Benefit Advocates are available to assist General Assistance participants with the application process for both SSI/SSP and Social Security Disability.

Homeless Assistance

The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Program can provide temporary and permanent shelter for families who are homeless or have a "Pay Rent or Quit" notice. Permanent shelter payments for a security deposit and/or last month's rental and/or utility deposit payment can be made one-time for the same period of homelessness. The requesting family must have apparent eligibility to CalWORKs and have less than $100 in liquid assets to be considered.

Housing Support Program (HSP)

The CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) is a program to help families that are eligible for CalWORKs to achieve stability and safety by ending homelessness. There are three levels of potential eligible participants:

Level 1: CalWORKs families where one Participant is enrolled in Welfare-to-Work activities and able to pursue employment.

Level 2: CalWORKs families where a child(ren) is receiving cash assistance but the parents are not. 

Level 3: CalWORKs families where at least one adult participant is unable to work due to permanent disability and whose income is unlikely to increase.

HSP components include housing barrier assessments, housing identification and placement assistance, landlord recruitment and engagement, rent and moving assistance, housing-related focused case management and additional services based on individual participant needs. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for eligible participants.

Post-Aid Services

CalWORKs Post Aid Services are available to employed individuals who have transitioned off CalWORKs to ensure the family maintains employment and continues to be self-supporting. The program is designed to help participants keep and advance in their jobs. These job retention services are available for up to twelve (12) months after a participant exits the Welfare-to-Work program and becomes employed.

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) / Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA)

The Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Program is for needy Refugees or Cuban/Haitian Entrants that are not otherwise eligible to the CalWORKs program because they do not have children or are ineligible for other reasons. The RCA program includes employment and supportive services.

Trafficking & Crime Victims Assistance Program (CW)

Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) is a short-term cash aid program that provides critical support, benefits, and services to victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes, who are not otherwise eligible for State or Federally-funded benefits and services due to immigration status or those victims awaiting Federal benefits.

Welfare-to-Work Program

Welfare-to-Work (WTW) is a mandatory program for all adults receiving cash assistance through the CalWORKs program, unless they meet a state exemption or good cause. There is a mandatory hourly participation requirement every week. The number of mandatory hours depend upon the age of the children in the household and how many parents are receiving aid.

The goal of Welfare-to-Work is help participants become ready to work through multiple different programs, services and referrals offered. These include, but are not limited to, paid work, unpaid work experience, training, education and different counseling services as needed.
 
WTW provides supportive services, while the adult participates in employment, training or other approved activities, which may include, but are not limited to, counseling, job preparedness, job development, training, childcare, transportation, work clothes and tools. Services are family focused and specific to the needs of each family.