CalFresh Benefits Now Available to SSI Recipients!

Excellent news for people receiving State Supplemental Income (SSI) – as of June 1st, 2019 persons receiving SSI will now be eligible to receive CalFresh benefits! Most SSI recipients and couples living on their own, will be newly eligible for CalFresh. If approved, they will receive an EBT card with CalFresh food benefits loaded monthly. Average food benefits for a household of one is estimated to be $130 per month.  More info here.

How does this affect specific customers?

  • SSI income amounts will not be reduced or eliminated.
  • Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) income amounts will increase by $10 per person to align the rates with SSI rates.
  • Single persons receiving SSI will be able to apply for benefits starting 6/1/2019.
  • SSI persons who are included in active CalFresh households will automatically be added to the case when their next report or renewal is due.  They do not need to apply.

What if adding the SSI person to the household would reduce or lose CalFresh benefits because of the added SSI income?

    1. If adding the SSI person to the active CalFresh case would result in reduced benefits, these households will be grandfathered in and will not have their benefits reduced as long as they remain on aid.
    2. If adding the SSI person to the active CalFresh case would result in benefits being discontinued, these households will be grandfathered in and will continue to receive benefits as long as they remain on aid.
    3. Once the CalFresh household case discontinues for any reason, these rules would no longer apply and the household would be evaluated according to normal income processing guidelines.

Thanks to Nevada County Social Services for improving access to fresh food for Nevada County residents.  Call the Nevada County Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Social Services with your questions at: 530-265-1627