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)
Click here for your benefits based on your eligibility
There are no restrictions on the benefits you may be eligible for. Though, of course, you still have to meet other eligibility criteria (i.e. income and asset limits, etc.).
You may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above in CA.*
Note: Depending on when you received your green card and your work history, you 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.
You may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above in CA.
Note: If your asylum or refugee status was granted more than 7 years ago, you may be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI.
Refugees can get Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) for 12 months.
You may be eligible for Medi-Cal, In-Home Supportive Services, WIC, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) if you are over the age of 65 and/or have a disability, unemployment benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI - but NOT Supplemental Security Income - SSI) and certain tax credits.
You may be eligible to enroll in all of the programs listed above - though you would likely be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI.
You may be eligible for all of the programs listed above – though, you would receive CAPI instead of SSI.
Welfare agencies often get confused when working with U Visa applicants and holders. If your applications for benefits are denied, please contact the BAILA Network or another trusted organization (https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/what-legal-aid/i-need-legal-help)
If you are a trafficking survivor who is currently in the process of preparing a T Visa application AND you have not yet received a letter from ORR certifying you as a trafficking survivor - you may be eligible for all of the programs listed above (except - you’d be eligible for CAPI instead of SSI – and TCVAP instead of RCA)
If you have a T Visa application pending or your T Visa has been approved - eligible for all programs listed above (except TCVAP instead of RCA)
You may be eligible for Medi-Cal, IHSS, CAPI, WIC, tax assistance and other benefits.
You 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 you are undocumented and you have children who are US Citizens, you may be eligible to enroll your children in all of the benefits listed above.
If you have questions about how using public benefits for your children impacts your own immigration status, go to the Public Charge info page.
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