Victoria, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's situation - my heart goes out to you during this incredibly stressful time! 💙 I wanted to share something that might help that I learned when my aunt had to do a similar move from California to Colorado a couple years ago. Colorado actually has something called a "presumptive eligibility" process for people in emergency situations like yours. When you apply, make sure to mention that you're moving due to a family medical emergency - they can sometimes approve temporary benefits while your full application is being processed. Also, regarding your question about timing - definitely report your move to California immediately, but ask them to make the closure effective on your actual move date (the 15th). This way you'll get your benefits for the first half of the month but won't risk any overpayments after you leave. One more thing - Colorado requires an interview for TANF applications, but they often do phone interviews for people who are new to the state or in urgent situations. When you call to schedule, explain that you're caring for a sick family member and see if they can expedite the interview process. You're being so strong handling all of this while worrying about your mom. Make sure to take care of yourself too during this transition! Everyone here has given amazing advice - you've definitely got this! 🙏✨

Victoria, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's health situation - sending you and your family lots of strength during this incredibly difficult time! 💙 I haven't personally gone through an out-of-state move with CalWORKs, but I wanted to offer some support and add a couple things that might help. Everyone here has given such amazing detailed advice about the process - this community really shows up for each other! One thing I wanted to mention is that you might want to ask California about getting a copy of your entire case file before you close it. Sometimes having your complete history (income verification, work activity records, etc.) can be helpful when applying in a new state, even though the programs are separate. Also, don't forget to update your mailing address with California even after you close your case - they might need to send you tax documents or other important paperwork next year, and you'll want to make sure you receive anything related to your case closure. I know this is such an overwhelming time with everything you're dealing with, but from all the responses here, it sounds like you have a really solid plan now. You're doing such an incredible thing by dropping everything to care for your mom. Wishing you the smoothest possible transition and hoping your mom gets the care she needs! 🙏 Keep us updated on how it all goes - we're all rooting for you!

This is such an important conversation and I'm really glad to see veterans supporting each other through these complicated benefit interactions. As someone who works with veterans transitioning to civilian life, I see this VA education benefits vs. CalWORKs issue come up frequently. One additional resource I'd suggest is contacting your local Veterans Service Organization (VCO) - organizations like DAV, VFW, or American Legion often have benefit counselors who specifically understand how different veteran benefits interact with state programs. They might know about advocacy efforts to change these policies or have connections with county supervisors who can help escalate cases. Also, if you do end up needing to request a fair hearing, don't go in alone - bring documentation showing exactly how your GI Bill funds are being used for educational expenses versus living expenses. The more detailed your breakdown, the better chance you have of getting a favorable review. Keep fighting for what's right - you've earned these benefits and deserve support while you're improving your situation through education.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's incredibly frustrating how the system seems to work against veterans trying to better themselves through education. One thing that might be worth exploring is whether your county has any local veteran-specific programs or hardship assistance that could help bridge the gap while you're in school. Some counties have discretionary funds or partnerships with veteran organizations that aren't widely advertised. Also, have you checked if your school offers any emergency financial assistance programs for student parents? Many colleges have small grant programs specifically for situations like this where students are caught between benefit eligibility gaps. It's not a long-term solution, but it could help with immediate needs like rent while you work through the appeals process. The fact that you're determined to complete your degree for your child shows incredible strength - don't give up, even though the system is making it unnecessarily difficult.

my friend said some counties r giving emergency benefits if u have a urgent need like rent due so maybe ask about that too

I'm a newcomer here but going through the exact same nightmare! My benefits haven't posted for March either and I'm panicking about April. Reading through all these responses is both reassuring (I'm not alone) and terrifying (this is apparently widespread). @Riya Sharma and @Ethan Scott - thank you for the detailed technical information! I had no idea about these specific flags and codes. I'm definitely going to ask about the "Priority Authorization Flag" and "monthly manual authorization" when I go in. One question - has anyone tried escalating this to the California Department of Social Services directly instead of just dealing with county offices? I'm wondering if there's a state-level complaint process for systemic issues like this. It seems crazy that 15% of cases are affected and there's no emergency fix being fast-tracked. Also @Santiago Diaz I'm curious about that Claimyr service - did they charge you for it? At this point I'd pay reasonable fees just to avoid these monthly office visits with my kids.

Update: I was finally able to reach my worker! Turns out they just needed to verify a deposit in my account from my mom (birthday gift money for my daughter) and make sure I still meet the resource limit. The worker was actually super nice and it took like 5 minutes to clear up. Thanks everyone for the advice and calming me down! My benefits are safe.

So glad everything worked out for you! This is exactly why I tell everyone not to panic when they get these calls. The county workers really do need better training on how to leave voicemails - saying "need to review transactions ASAP" sounds so ominous when it's usually something simple like verifying a gift deposit. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - it'll help other people who find this thread when they're going through the same thing!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I have my recertification interview next week and I'll bring all my paystubs and ask my sister to write out that statement about the childcare. The calculation breakdown really helps me understand how they'll look at my income. I'm still nervous but feeling more prepared now!

Good luck with your recertification interview! One more tip - if your worker seems to calculate your income differently than what others have explained here, don't be afraid to ask them to walk through the calculation step by step. Sometimes they make mistakes or forget to apply certain deductions. You have the right to understand exactly how they're determining your eligibility. Also, if you do get approved, keep track of your hours and pay going forward since any significant changes might affect your benefits later. Sounds like you're doing everything right to get back on your feet!