Tag: CalFresh

Beginning June 1, 2026, California is implementing new CalFresh work or community engagement rules for some food assistance recipients. These changes stem from H.R. 1, sometimes referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025.

The new rules do not apply to everyone receiving CalFresh. Many people with disabilities, caregivers, and others qualify for exemptions. Understanding whether you are exempt is important because complying with work requirements can involve ongoing reporting obligations and paperwork that may be difficult to maintain over time.

Most People with Disabilities Should Be Exempt

If you receive disability benefits, you should generally be automatically exempt from the new work or community engagement requirement rules.

This includes many individuals who receive services through California’s regional center system. The California Department of Social Services has indicated that recipients of disability benefits should be identified as exempt without having to take additional action.

If you receive a notice requiring you to meet work or community engagement requirements and believe you should be exempt because of a disability, contact your county immediately.

Caregivers May Also Qualify for an Exemption

Federal law includes exemptions for many individuals who provide care to a person with a disability, an older adult, or someone who is ill or injured.

Unlike some disability-related exemptions, caregivers may need to inform the county of their caregiving responsibilities or provide information to establish their exemption. If you are a caregiver and receive a notice about work or community engagement requirements, review your situation carefully and contact your county office immediately, and let them know that you believe you qualify for an exemption.

Why Exemptions Matter

If you qualify for an exemption, it is generally advisable to claim it.

Individuals who are subject to work or community engagement requirements must regularly document and report qualifying, education, training, volunteer activities, or other approved activities. Keeping track of hours and reporting them consistently can be burdensome and increases the risk of losing food assistance because of paperwork errors, missed deadlines, or reporting issues.

If you qualify for an exemption, you may be able to avoid these ongoing reporting requirements altogether.

When Will You Receive a Notice?

Some CalFresh recipients may begin receiving notices after June 1, 2026. Others may not receive information about the new requirements until their next annual redetermination or case review, others that are automatically exempt may never receive a notice and do not need to take any action.

If you receive a notice, review the notice carefully and determine whether you qualify for an exemption and respond immediately. Generally notice recipients will have a short timeframe to respond, in many cases 30 days.

Learn More About Exemptions

The Arc of California previously published a detailed overview of the new CalFresh work or community engagement rules, including a discussion of available exemptions: https://thearcca.org/new-calfresh-work-or-community-engagement-rules/

Need Help Determining Whether You Are Exempt?

The California Department of Social Services has created a screening tool to help individuals understand whether they may be subject to work or community engagement requirements and identify potential exemptions.

CalFresh Work Requirement Screening Tool: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CalFreshWork

Resources and Assistance

If you have questions about your notice, need help understanding an exemption, or are looking for services that can help you comply with work and community engagement rules, the following resources may be helpful.

Contact Your County First

Your county welfare department is the best source of information about your specific case, exemptions, reporting requirements, and notices.

County Office Locator: https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/

Legal Assistance

Disability Rights California provides advocacy and legal assistance for Californians with disabilities: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org

LawHelpCA

Find free and low-cost legal services by county and legal issue: https://www.lawhelpca.org

Food Assistance

California Association of Food Banks

Find your local food bank: https://www.cafoodbanks.org

211 California

Connects individuals with local food, housing, health care, and social services. Call 211 or visit the website to find resources in your community: https://www.211california.org

Health and Disability Supports

Independent Living Centers provide peer support, benefits counseling, advocacy, and assistance navigating disability-related services: https://calsilc.ca.gov

Community Health Centers and Mental Health Services

Some people may need documentation from a medical professional to establish that they have a disability and qualify for CalFresh work or community engagement rules exemptions.

If you need access to healthcare services, you can find a nearby community health center through the federal Health Center Locator. Federally Qualified Health Centers provide primary care services regardless of a person’s ability to pay and may be able to assist with obtaining necessary medical documentation: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov

If a mental health condition affects your ability to work or participate in required activities, you can also contact your county behavioral health department to learn about available services, evaluations, and supports that may help establish eligibility for an exemption from CalFresh work or community engagement rules.

Employment and Training Resources

For those who are not exempt from work requirements or community engagement rules, and need to comply with the new work rules, America’s Job Center of California provides job search assistance, training opportunities, career counseling, and employment services.

https://edd.ca.gov/en/jobs_and_training

California Community Colleges

For those who are not exempt from work requirements or community engagement rules, many colleges offer workforce training, career education programs, and short-term certificate programs that may help satisfy the new CalFresh community engagement rules.

https://www.cccco.edu/Students/Find-a-College

The Arc of California’s Advocacy

The Arc of California worked closely with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and disability advocacy partners to help ensure that disability-related exemptions were interpreted as broadly as permitted under federal law. We also worked with the Department to encourage the use of plain language so that notices, guidance, and public materials are easier for Californians to understand.

If you receive a notice, do not assume work and community engagement rules apply to you. Review the available exemptions, contact your county if you have questions, seek assistance if needed and respond to the county notice quickly. Many people with disabilities and caregivers will qualify for an exemption but the county will need you to provide that information if requested.

By Julie Schurman, Esq., Director of Public Policy, The Arc and UCP California Collaboration

Changes to CalFresh will begin on June 1, 2026. The changes are happening in order to implement a law signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025. This law is known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1.).”  Under this new law, some people will have to meet work or community engagement requirement rules to receive or continue receiving food assistance from CalFresh, California’s food assistance program.

What are Work or Community Engagement Rules?

The CalFresh work or community engagement rules, also known as work requirements, mean that certain adults must work, volunteer, or participate in approved employment, education or training activities to receive or keep their food assistance benefits, unless they qualify for an exemption.

Do People with Disabilities Have to Meet Work or Community Engagement Requirements?

Many people with disabilities will not have to meet CalFresh work or community engagement rules.

There are two main ways you can be exempt from CalFresh work or community engagement rules.

1) You get disability benefits.
This includes many programs, such as disability pensions, veterans benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), State Supplementary Payment (SSP), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), workers’ compensation, and State Disability Insurance (SDI).

2) You are unable to work at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours a month on an ongoing basis.
You can still be exempt even if you are working.
You can also be exempt if you sometimes work more than 20 hours a week, but cannot keep that schedule long term or on an ongoing basis. For example, you may need to take time off from work because of your disability.

Some people with disabilities need to tell their local county office that they are exempt. Other people are exempt automatically and do not need to apply.

Do Caregivers Have to Meet Work or Community Engagement Rules?

No. If you are a caregiver for someone who is sick, injured, elderly, or has a disability, you do not have to meet work or community engagement requirements.

This is true even if you are not related to the person you care for.
You also do not have to live with the person you care for.

Many caregivers will need to tell their local county office that they are a caregiver so the county knows they are exempt.

Who Else is Excluded from the Work or Community Engagement Rules?

If any of the below apply to you, you can apply to your local county office to be exempt from the requirements. Some people in the list below will be automatically exempt without needing to apply to the California government.

• • • You are age 18 or younger
    • You are 65 years old or older
    • You are going to school, college, jobs skills training or other recognized program part-time or full-time.
    • You live in Colusa, Imperial, or Tulare county. If you live in one of these counties you do not need to meet the requirements until at least October 31, 2026. See The California Department of Social Security (CDSS) website to get current information on counties that do not have to meet the requirements.
    • You have applied for or are getting unemployment insurance
    • You are experiencing drug or alcohol addiction
    • You are a victim of domestic violence
    • You are pregnant
    • You are responsible for a child that is under 14
    • You or your family line is Native American for example Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, Ojibwe Nation or Lakota Nation.
    • You are in an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Training Program

How Do I apply for an Exclusion to Work or Community Engagement Requirements?

You can apply through your local county office. See below for county contact information.

If I am not Excluded from the Work or Community Engagement Rules, How do I Meet the Requirements?

If you are not exempt from work or community engagement rules, you must meet the requirement.

You can meet the requirement by working, volunteering, or joining certain work or training programs. You can mix activities to reach the total hours.

1) You work at least 20 hours a week on average or 80 hours per month.
This includes regular jobs, self-employment, in-kind work (working for goods or services), and volunteering.

If you work, you must either average 20 hours a week or earn $217.50 a week before taxes.

2) You are in an approved job training program or workfare for at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours per month.

3) You do community service or volunteer work for at least 20 hours a week or 80 hours per month.

What If I Am Not Excluded and I Am Not Meeting the Work or Community Engagement Requirement?

If you are not exempt from work or community engagement rules, and you are not working, volunteering, or in a work program, you will only get CalFresh for three months in a three-year period.

If this applies to you, contact your county office right away. They can help you find a way to meet the work or community engagement requirement so your CalFresh benefits do not stop.

Who Can Answer My Questions?

If you have questions you can speak with your local county office, they can help you understand the CalFresh work and community engagement rules.

For more information, and to speak directly to a county worker over the phone, call 1-877-847-3663 (FOOD) to be routed to a local county office.

To find a county office near you, visit: https://calfresh.dss.ca.gov/food/officelocator/

To apply for CalFresh Food benefits, visit: https://benefitscal.com/

More Information

All County Letters – these are letters sent from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to all of the counties in California, to explain the new changes to CalFresh food assistance.

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/ACLs/2025/25-93.pdf?ver=Ib9riEMEV474i6-xtntg4g%3d%3d

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/ACLs/2019/19-93_ES.pdf