Social Services Agency - DEBS A9 - CWES

General information

Santa Clara County (SCC) Social Service Agency (SSA) Department of Employment and Benefit Services (DEBS) maintains client eligibility for the following programs:

CalFresh (CF) program, federally known at the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or formerly known as Food Stamps, helps low-income individuals and families put healthy and nutritious food on their table. The program issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy food at most grocery stores and farmer's markets.

CalWORKs (CW) is a program that provides cash assistance and services to eligible needy families in California. 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.

CalWORKs Employment Services (CWES) program helps families overcome employment barriers by linking them with supportive services and job opportunities. Program participants may be eligible for supportive services such as child care, transportation, work-related or training-related expenses, and family stabilization services. Participants who find a job and are no longer eligible for cash aid may continue to receive assistance with transportation and child care expenses. Most CalWORKs recipients are required to participate in welfare to work activities as a condition of receiving cash aid.

General Assistance (GA) and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) both provide cash assistance to single individuals. GA provides a grant to those individuals legally and lawfully residing in the county who have no means of support and are not eligible for cash assistance from other State and/or Federal programs. CAPI is a state program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigrant status.

Medi-Cal (MC) program offers free or low-cost health care to California residents. MC is made up of many different programs with different eligibility requirements.

There are many ways to apply; the easiest way is online at www.MyBenefitsCalwin.org or through the My Benefits CalWIN mobile app (available for iOS and Android).

You can also apply:
-In Person at the offices listed
-By phone at 1-877-962-3633
- Download an application at http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/eligibility/Documents/2014_CoveredCA_Applications/ENG-CASingleStreamApp.pdf
Drop off at any office or mail to P.O. Box 11018 San Jose, CA 95103