Serves low-income families with children, and pregnant women. Provides temporary cash aid and employment services. To qualify for cash aid, most must take part in CalWORKs Employment Services. Helps one prepare for, find, and keep employment. The program offers child care, transportation, and financial help. Provides other services as needed to help with the transition from welfare to work. Adults can receive up to 60 months of cash aid in their lifetime, with some exceptions.

For those experiencing more challenging circumstances, extra programs are available to help. These include:

• Family Stabilization (FaSt): Helps families and pregnant women who are experiencing destabilizing crises. These may include mental health/substance abuse-related needs, domestic violence, or homelessness. Provides resources to assist families. This is not a housing program but can help with housing in some cases. To qualify, one must be enrolled in CalWORKs.
• CalWORKs Housing Support Program: Helps families and pregnant women experiencing homelessness. If eligible, they are placed on a waitlist for housing. When it is their turn, a Housing Social Worker helps with finding and maintaining housing. May pay the security deposit and utility deposit. They can also help with short-term Temporary Homeless Assistance (THA). This pays for a motel for 16 days while the family looks for permanent housing. To qualify, one must be enrolled in CalWORKs and be experiencing homelessness.
• CalWORKs Homeless Assistance program: Helps families and pregnant women experiencing homelessness. Provides 16 days of paying for motel (or 30 days if fleeing a domestic violence situation). May also pay the security deposit and utility deposit. To qualify, one must be enrolled in or applying for CalWORKs. They must also be experiencing homelessness.
• Cal-Learn: Serves teens ages 18 and younger who are custodial parents or pregnant. Provides bonuses, supportive services, and intensive case management. Helps teen parents stay in or return to high school and earn a diploma or GED. To qualify, one must be enrolled in CalWORKs.

Issues benefits using electronic benefit transfer (EBT). One can check account balances, transaction history, and claim status. One can also locate retailers and ATMs that accept the EBT card. Call 877-328-9677. Or visit the EBT Card Holder Portal.