Cash Assistance

CalWORKs Cash Assistance

CalWORKs is a public assistance program that provides temporary cash assistance to needy California families. The program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services. If a family has little or no cash and needs housing, food, utilities, clothing or medical care, they may be eligible to receive immediate short-term help.

Families that apply and qualify for ongoing assistance receive money each month to help pay for housing, food and other necessary expenses, for a temporary period of time.

The amount of a family's monthly assistance payment depends on several factors, including the number of people in the family who are eligible and any special needs of those family members. Also, the family's income is considered in calculating the amount of cash aid received. The cash aid is provided in the form of an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, similar to a bank debit card.

Who Qualifies

Specific eligibility requirements take into account an applicant's citizenship, age, income, resources, assets and other factors. Generally, services are available to:

  • Families that have a child(ren) in the home who has been deprived of parental support or care because of the absence, disability or death of either parent
  • Families with a child(ren) when both parents are in the home but the principal earner is unemployed
  • Needy caretaker relatives of a foster child(ren)

To remain eligible for services, recipients of cash aid must participate in work or work-related activities, specified in their individualized "Welfare-to-Work Plan." For adults there is a 48-month lifetime limit on eligibility for cash assistance.

BenefitsCalHow to Apply

Required Proof Items

CalWORKs applicants must have proof of:

  • Income
  • Property
  • Citizenship status
  • Age
  • Social Security numbers
  • Residence
  • Shelter costs
  • Work or school status
  • Financial resources