Just wanted to add my experience to this helpful thread! I went through this exact situation with my foster daughter last year. She turned 18 in February but didn't graduate until June. I submitted her school verification letter about 6 weeks before her birthday and everything went smoothly - no interruption in benefits at all. One thing I learned is that it's also helpful to get a letter that shows not just current enrollment, but also her cumulative credits and confirmation she's on track to graduate on time. Our school counselor included that detail and I think it helped show she was making satisfactory progress toward graduation. For anyone else in this situation, I'd also recommend asking your school counselor to include their direct contact information on the letter in case the county needs to verify anything. Our worker actually did call the school to confirm the information, so having that direct line made the process even smoother. Great job being proactive @Mason Stone - you definitely did the right thing getting ahead of this instead of waiting!

This entire thread is such a goldmine of practical advice! As someone who just became guardian of my 17-year-old nephew who'll be turning 18 next summer while still having his senior year ahead of him, I'm so grateful everyone shared their experiences here. The tip about getting a letter that includes cumulative credits and progress toward graduation is particularly helpful - I never would have thought to ask for those details. And I love the idea of including the counselor's direct contact info for verification purposes. @Mason Stone - you really handled this perfectly by getting ahead of it and submitting documentation through multiple channels. That receipt is going to be so important for your records. One quick question for the group: For those who submitted verification early, did you get any kind of confirmation from the county that the information was processed and noted on the case? Or do you just have to trust that it's been handled properly until the 18th birthday actually arrives? I'm the type who likes to follow up and make sure nothing falls through the cracks, especially with how hard it can be to reach workers sometimes. Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this community really does fill the gaps when the system falls short!

This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I'm currently waiting on my SAR 7 processing (submitted 10 days ago, still pending) and was getting really anxious about potential delays. Isaac, so glad you got yours resolved - the persistence really paid off! Reading everyone's strategies here is like having a survival guide for navigating the CalWORKs system. The 8am calling tip and using "benefits not received" option are game-changers that I never would have known about otherwise. It's honestly ridiculous that we need to become phone system experts just to get our paperwork processed, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. The staffing shortage explanation helps contextualize these delays, but it doesn't make them any less stressful when you're counting on benefits for basic needs. I'm definitely saving all these tips for future reference - this thread should be required reading for anyone new to CalWORKs! Thanks to everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences and strategies.

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed to see! I've been dealing with CalWORKs for about 6 months now and just submitted my SAR 7 last week. Reading Isaac's experience and everyone's responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the 8am calling strategy or using the "benefits not received" option instead of general questions. It's both reassuring and frustrating to learn that these delays are so common due to staffing shortages. Reassuring because it means it's not necessarily something I did wrong, but frustrating because we shouldn't have to become phone system experts just to get our paperwork processed on time. I'm definitely bookmarking this whole discussion for future reference. The tip about keeping receipts and documenting everything is something I'll start doing immediately. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world strategies - this kind of community support makes navigating the system so much easier!

I moved from Santa Clara to Kern County about a year ago and wanted to share something that really helped me that I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure to ask Sacramento County if they can provide you with a "benefit continuation letter" before your transfer. This is a document that officially confirms your benefits will continue during the transfer process and shows your current benefit amounts. I used this letter when I had to provide proof of income for my new apartment lease, and it was also helpful when San Bernardino had questions about my case. Having something official from Sacramento showing my benefit status gave me peace of mind and helped speed up the verification process with the new county. Also, one practical tip - download and save screenshots of your current case information from BenefitsCal before the transfer starts. Sometimes there can be temporary glitches where you can't access your case details during the handoff between counties, so having your own backup records is really helpful. Your EBT card will definitely work throughout the process - that's one thing California has made pretty seamless. The fact that you're planning this so thoughtfully and getting advice from everyone here puts you in a much better position than most people going through transfers. Hope everything goes smoothly and your mom gets the care she needs!

I went through a transfer from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo County last year and wanted to add something that really helped me - if you have any direct deposit set up for other benefits or services, make sure to notify those agencies about your county transfer too. Sometimes agencies like WIC or other local assistance programs need to be updated separately even though your main CalWORKs case is transferring. I had a delay with my childcare payments because the local Alternative Payment Program didn't know about my county move until weeks later. Also, keep a folder (physical or digital) with copies of everything you submit to both counties during this process - transfer requests, address changes, any new documents they ask for. I needed to resend the same paperwork three times because it kept getting "lost" in the system, and having copies ready made it much easier. One more thing - if you're getting any local services through community organizations in Sacramento (like food banks, clothing assistance, job training programs), ask them if they have partner organizations in San Bernardino County. Many nonprofits have networks that can help you get connected to similar services in your new area. Your EBT benefits will continue on the same card, but having these other support systems in place can make the whole transition much less stressful. You're doing such a great job planning ahead - hope everything works out well for you and your mom!

This is such valuable information! I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference. What really stands out to me is how many people had issues relying solely on the online system - it seems like BenefitsCal is good for initiating the change but you absolutely need that human confirmation. For anyone still dealing with this, I'd also suggest taking photos/screenshots of your BenefitsCal profile showing the updated address, and if you go in person, ask for some kind of written confirmation or receipt that the change was processed. Documentation is your friend when dealing with any government benefits program. The Claimyr service @Donna Cline mentioned sounds like a game-changer for avoiding those brutal hold times. Has anyone else used it for other CalWORKs issues beyond address changes? I'm curious if it works well for general case questions too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of real-world advice from people who've actually been through the process is worth its weight in gold!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add my experience from when I moved last year. Like many others here, I made the mistake of ONLY updating my address online through BenefitsCal and thought I was good to go. Big mistake! Two weeks later I got a notice that my benefits were being discontinued because they had mailed my SAR 7 to my old address and I "failed to respond." Here's what I learned the hard way: even after you update online, the system doesn't always sync properly across all departments. My eligibility worker had the new address, but the mail processing center was still using my old one. It took THREE visits to the county office and a supervisor to finally get it straightened out. My advice: do the online update first, then either go in person OR use that Claimyr service people mentioned. But most importantly - ask for WRITTEN confirmation that your address change has been processed in ALL systems, not just your case file. And definitely report that rent increase too since it might bump up your housing allowance. The whole process is frustrating but don't let that discourage you from staying on top of it!

I'm new to this community and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I just got approved for CalFresh a few weeks ago and had no clue that calling early for interviews was even allowed. I've been so stressed about my upcoming recertification because I never know when my manager at the restaurant will change my shifts last minute. Reading @Annabel Kimball's success story and seeing all the supportive advice from everyone here makes me feel so much more prepared. @Charity Cohan that regulation information is incredibly valuable - knowing that accommodation is actually required by policy and not just luck of the draw with workers gives me confidence to speak up for myself. Thank you all for creating such a helpful and supportive space where we can learn from each other's real experiences!

I'm completely new to this community and this entire thread has been so incredibly helpful! I just submitted my CalFresh application yesterday and was already anxious about the interview scheduling since I'm a single parent working evening shifts at a grocery store. Reading @Annabel Kimball's success story and all the practical advice from everyone here has completely changed my perspective on how flexible the system can actually be. @Charity Cohan thank you so much for sharing that regulation information - knowing that MPP Section 63-300.46 requires them to accommodate household needs gives me the confidence to advocate for myself when my interview gets scheduled. It's amazing to see how supportive this community is in sharing real experiences and actionable knowledge that actually helps people succeed in navigating these systems. I feel so much more prepared now knowing I can call early if needed and that there's actual policy backing reasonable accommodation requests!