Self-Help

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:

• https://www.cdss.ca.gov/in-home-supportive-services

• https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ihss/fact-sheets

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:

• https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/DWICSN/Pages/Program-Landing1.aspx

• https://www.phfewic.org/en/how-wic-works/apply-for-wic/

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 

  • Also in Spanish: Comience el proceso para solicitar SSI | Administración del Seguro Social (ssa.gov)

• 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

• Disability 

• Education Benefits 

• Others  

• VA Benefits Helpline: 1-800-983-0937

Unemployment Insurance Benefit (UIB) - Benefit to workers who are unemployed or have hours reduced

How to apply?

• Online, Phone, or by Mail

• 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?

• Online or by Mail

  • 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?

• Online or by Mail

  • 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?

• Find LIHEAP Provider

“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

  • Learn more here

  • 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?

• Apply online

• 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)