Emergency Benefits: When You Can't Wait for Help

Emergency Aid

For CalWORKs applicants who can’t pay for basic needs (like rent, utilities, etc.)

To qualify, you must seem eligible for CalWORKs based on your application. You also must not be able to pay for the emergency.
Pregnant women with no other children must verify the pregnancy.
Non-U.S. citizens must prove their immigration status.

Emergency Food Stamps
- Get your Food Stamps in three days, if not on SSI, and;
  - your rent and utilities are more than your income or resources can cover, or
  - you have less than $150 in income/$100 in resources.
- You will need to give the Social Security numbers for your household.
Homeless Assistance

Homeless families/pregnant women can get:

$65/day for a motel ($15 per person extra if more than 4 people) for up to 16 days if you:

Have an eviction notice for not paying rent or are homeless. (Including staying at shelters, in cars, on the street, or with someone an emergency basis.)
Have less than $100 in cash.
Look for permanent housing if homeless.
Have not gotten CalWORKs Homeless Assistance before.

You can get help again if you are now homeless because of domestic violence, physical or mental illness, or your home was condemned or damaged by a fire/natural disaster.

You can get up to two months rent to prevent an eviction. You must provide the "pay rent or quit" notice.

Money for last month's rent, utility, & cleaning deposits.

You must prove you found a place to rent (commercial landlords only).
Your share of the rent must be below 80% of your household income.
You turn in a written rental agreement.
Note: If you qualify, the county must give you the motel money the same day, or find shelter for you; it must pay the move-in money by the next day.

Payments for things lost/destroyed by an emergency. It must be a "sudden and unusual" situation "beyond your control."

Repair or replace clothing or household equipment (beds, clothing, stoves, etc.)
Fix damages to the home
Pay for interim shelter (home destroyed, made uninhabitable or inaccessible) - if not eligible for Homeless Assistance.

Emergency Medi-Cal
- Medi-Cal covers emergency services regardless of immigration status. An emergency medical condition is when you are pregnant, or your health would be at serious risk of if you didn’t get immediate medical attention. Labor and delivery and kidney dialysis treatment are emergency conditions.
- Also, if you are pregnant, many health care providers can give you immediate pregnancy services under "Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women" program,” even before you apply for Medi-Cal.
- If you are low-income, County health will cover all or part of your medical costs, including emergency care.
- You can get screening and treatment for Breast and Cervical cancers if you are low-income and over 40 (breast screening) or over 25 (cervical screening).

Most proof of eligibility can be done later, to avoid delays in issuing the emergency benefits. Certain proof is required:

If denied emergency benefits, ask to speak to the worker’s supervisor. If that doesn’t work and you still need help, ask for an expedited hearing.
Special Note: Call the state hearing office, 800-952-5253, and tell them you need an expedited hearing.
If you can, bring as much paperwork as you can, to avoid another trip to the office and for faster processing of your regular benefits.

For more legal help and information, you can use LawHelpCalifornia to contact a local legal advocate.