According to the California Department of Social Services, nearly 4 million Californians a month – half of them children – receive an average of $130 in CalFresh (also known as federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)) benefits on a debit card to purchase food at grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
As of June 1, a major change in State law
known as “Reversing SSI Cash-Out” will now allow hundreds of
thousands of persons with disabilities (including those with intellectual and
developmental disabilities receiving regional center funded services) and
seniors eligible for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) / State
Supplemental Payment program (SSP) to apply and be considered for eligibility
for benefits. With this change, eligible seniors and people with disabilities
will be able to receive a monthly CalFresh food benefit to help meet their
basic needs, with no loss to their SSI/SSP benefit.
Some who are part of households already
receiving CalFresh food benefits may receive new state funded Supplemental
Nutrition Benefits (SNB) or Transitional Nutrition Benefits (TNB) to avoid any
loss in food benefit. Persons who are receiving Cash Assistance Program for
Immigrants (CAPI) benefits will receive a $10 per person grant increase.
Employment training services, and healthy living programs are also available in the CalFresh Program.