Social Services

Alameda County social services help residents address needs involving food, health coverage, cash assistance, housing, employment, caregiving, and family protection. This article explains the main programs, how to choose the appropriate office or online system, which application and reporting forms serve different purposes, and what to review before submitting information. It also covers benefit changes, electronic benefit security, and the separate procedures for service concerns and appeals.

The Alameda County Social Services Agency administers services for individuals, families, older adults, people with disabilities, refugees, immigrants, veterans, and youth. Choosing a program based on the assistance you need helps you reach the appropriate service. A food assistance application, a request for help with daily living, and a child protection concern involve different parts of the agency.

Food, Health Coverage, and Cash Assistance

CalFresh and Medi-Cal Services

CalFresh provides assistance for individuals and families to purchase nutritious food. Medi-Cal provides health coverage for families and individuals with low or no income. Both programs are available through BenefitsCal, but they address different needs and have separate eligibility and renewal requirements. When submitting information or responding to a notice, identify which program the request concerns.

The agency also offers food and nutrition services for older adults. Residents looking for that assistance should review the agency’s Health and Food services rather than assume that every nutrition service uses the same application as CalFresh.

CalWORKs and General Assistance

The agency’s cash assistance and employment services include CalWORKs, General Assistance, employment and training, and supportive services. CalWORKs provides temporary assistance for families with children and expectant mothers. General Assistance provides cash assistance for adults with low or no income who do not have dependent children, as well as emancipated minors.

These programs use different application routes. BenefitsCal accepts CalWORKs applications, while the agency identifies a separate GA Online Application for General Assistance applications and renewals. BenefitsCal also supports certain General Assistance case-management tasks, including document submission and messages to staff. Its availability for those tasks does not make it the designated General Assistance application system.

Employment services include CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work and access to the Alameda County Workforce Development Board. CalFresh recipients interested in employment or training can ask their Eligibility Services Technician about the CalFresh Employment & Training program. Questions about employment participation should be directed to the relevant program rather than treated as a general benefit application question.

Care, Protection, and Family Support

Older Adults and Disability Services

The Department of Adult and Aging Services coordinates assistance that protects, supports, and advocates for older adults. The agency’s older adult and disability services include In-Home Supportive Services, the Area Agency on Aging, and Public Guardian Conservator & LPS services.

In-Home Supportive Services, commonly called IHSS, provides care and assistance with activities of daily living at home. The Area Agency on Aging offers services and resources for older adults, including Senior Information & Assistance. Public Guardian Conservator & LPS services address the protection of vulnerable individuals who cannot protect themselves.

IHSS has separate online systems for clients, providers, and electronic services. A person receiving care and a person providing care should select the portal appropriate to their role. These systems serve different purposes from the BenefitsCal application and benefit-management portal.

Child and Adult Protective Services

The agency’s Abuse and Protection services include protective services for children experiencing abuse or neglect, as well as protective services for elders and adults with disabilities. A protection concern should be directed to that service area rather than submitted as a food, cash aid, or health coverage application.

The Contact Us section includes a Hotlines category. That is a separate contact route from ordinary case messages, application forms, and office information. Selecting the appropriate category helps distinguish a protection-related concern from a request about an existing benefits case.

Youth and Foster Care Services

The agency’s services for youth and foster families include Extended Foster Care, housing support, the Independent Living Program, resource families, and CalWORKs Stage One Child Care. Extended Foster Care supports young adults as they transition to adulthood. The Independent Living Program helps youth develop skills for adulthood, while resource families provide out-of-home care for children in foster care.

CalWORKs Stage One Child Care serves current and former CalWORKs recipients. Foster care providers have a separate web reporting system for reporting when a child enters or leaves the home and for submitting monthly foster care reports. Those provider reports are distinct from household benefit applications and periodic eligibility reports.

Housing, Immigration, and Veterans Services

Housing Assistance for Families

The agency’s Shelter and Housing services address housing support for individuals and families with low income. CalWORKs Housing Assistance can help CalWORKs families keep or obtain housing. Residents should identify whether their housing request relates to an existing CalWORKs case so staff can connect the request with the appropriate program.

The online self-services page also identifies an automated pre-screening line for Season of Sharing emergency housing and critical needs assistance. That pre-screening route is separate from a BenefitsCal application. The agency’s housing section provides information about other housing services as well.

Immigrant and Refugee Assistance

The agency’s refugee, immigrant, and asylee services include financial, food, and health care assistance, employment and training, supportive services, and referrals. The Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, or CAPI, provides financial assistance for aged, blind, and disabled noncitizens. Refugee Cash Assistance provides financial assistance for newly arrived refugees without dependent children.

Refugee Supportive Services include employment services, Vocational English as a Second Language classes, and help with social adjustment. Social Integration services help refugees adjust to life in the United States. The Alameda County Interim Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs provides education and resources concerning immigrant and refugee issues, needs, and contributions.

CAPI and Refugee Cash Assistance are separate programs. Refugee Cash Assistance applications are available through BenefitsCal, while the agency’s printable application forms include a CAPI Statement of Facts. Use the form or online application associated with the specific program you are requesting.

Veterans Benefits and Claims Assistance

The Alameda County Veterans Service Office helps veterans, dependents, and survivors obtain information about U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and CalVet benefits and file claims. Accredited Veteran Services Representatives assist with the necessary forms and applications. A veterans benefit claim is a different process from applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or county cash assistance.

Online Applications and Case Management

The agency’s online self-services page identifies the current systems for applications, renewals, document submission, reporting, and other case tasks. It also distinguishes specialized systems for IHSS and foster care providers from the general benefits portal.

What BenefitsCal Handles

BenefitsCal’s online benefits portal allows residents to apply for, view, and renew Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Refugee Cash Assistance benefits. Clients can create an account to submit applications, renewals, and verifications and view case information.

The county also directs clients to BenefitsCal for case information, document submission, and messages to an Eligibility Services Technician or Employment Counselor for CalFresh, CalWORKs, Refugee Cash Assistance, Medi-Cal, General Assistance, and Welfare-to-Work. Before beginning an online task, distinguish between applying for a program and managing an existing case.

The agency provides account-creation and password-reset guides, along with instructions covering case linking, document uploads, reporting changes, renewals, appointment requests, electronic notices, and two-step verification. Select the instructions that match the task you need to complete. For example, creating an account and linking that account to a case are separate actions.

Former Portals and Appointment Requests

MyBenefitsCalWIN, the Customer Automated Response System, the former Virtual Kiosk for the Program Integrity Division and IHSS, eCF37, and eSAR7 are no longer available. Residents who previously used those systems should follow the current routes identified on the county’s online self-services page.

The county provides an online request option to reschedule CalWORKs or CalFresh appointments. A rescheduling request is separate from a benefit application or renewal. Select the appointment-rescheduling option when that is the task you need, and review case messages for communications from the agency.

Paper Forms and Required Information

Choosing the Correct Application Form

The agency’s printable application and reporting forms include initial applications, renewals, authorized representative forms, and additional documents used during application processing. Form numbers help distinguish documents with similar names.

SAWS 2 Plus: Application for CalFresh, Cash Aid, and/or Medi-Cal, identified for CalWORKs initial applications and redeterminations.

CF 285: CalFresh initial application.

CF 37: CalFresh recertification form.

CCFRM604: State of California Health Insurance Application for Medi-Cal.

90-16: General Assistance initial and renewal application.

SOC 814: CAPI Statement of Facts.

SAR 7: Eligibility Status Report.

SAR 3: Mid-Period Status Report for Cash Aid and CalFresh.

Many forms are available in Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and other languages. Language availability varies by form. Choose the version associated with the exact document you need rather than assuming every form has the same translations.

Additional Forms During Processing

An initial application may be followed by additional forms. The county states that these documents will be mailed after the initial application is submitted, so applicants do not need to print them in advance. Applicants may also complete and submit them electronically or by mail with the initial application or during the application process.

CalWORKs application materials include rights and responsibilities, a support questionnaire, EBT-related forms, and Welfare-to-Work documents. General Assistance materials include an accommodation request, health questionnaires, consent forms, and employment and training documents. CAPI materials include household expense and contribution information and reimbursement authorizations.

The forms page separates documents that must be completed during processing from informational documents that do not need to be returned. Review that distinction before preparing a submission. Keep informational notices for reference, and follow the instructions associated with forms requiring a response.

Submission Methods and Representatives

Paper application forms may be submitted at a secure office drop box during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., by fax to 510-670-5095, or by mail to P.O. Box 12941, Oakland, CA 94604. Online document submission is available through BenefitsCal for the programs identified on the county’s self-services page.

The county provides authorized representative forms for CalWORKs, CalFresh, Refugee Cash Assistance, General Assistance, Medi-Cal, and CAPI. Medi-Cal forms include MC 382, Appointment of Authorized Representative, and MC 383, Authorized Representative Standard Agreement for Organizations. Select the authorization document associated with the program involved.

Renewals, Reporting, and Benefit Changes

Renewals and Periodic Reports

BenefitsCal accepts renewals for CalFresh, CalWORKs, Refugee Cash Assistance, and Medi-Cal. General Assistance renewals use the GA Online Application. BenefitsCal also supports semiannual reporting for the programs identified by the agency.

An initial application, a renewal, and a periodic report serve different purposes. Use the correct task or form when responding to an agency request. The county provides SAR 7 instructions and an addendum explaining reporting requirements and penalties; consult those materials when completing the report.

CalFresh Work-Related Time Limits

Starting June 1, 2026, CalFresh Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents time limits are in effect. The agency identifies recipients ages 18 through 64 who are able to work and do not qualify for an exemption as subject to these rules.

Recipients subject to the time limits who do not meet the work requirement are limited to three months of CalFresh in a 36-month period. The agency provides information about work requirements and exemptions, including materials in several languages. Recipients interested in employment or training can discuss CalFresh Employment & Training with their Eligibility Services Technician.

Medi-Cal Enrollment and Asset Rules

Beginning January 1, 2026, new applicants age 19 or older who do not have satisfactory immigration status, or cannot verify it, cannot newly enroll in full-scope Medi-Cal under the expansion described by the agency. Applicants in that category who apply on or after that date are eligible only for restricted-scope coverage for emergency-related and pregnancy-related services.

People enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal before January 1, 2026, may keep that coverage regardless of immigration status if they continue to meet all other requirements, including renewals. Children under 19 and pregnant individuals applying on or after that date may receive full-scope coverage regardless of immigration status if otherwise eligible. Pregnant individuals may keep that coverage throughout pregnancy and the one-year postpartum period.

Effective January 1, 2026, asset limits also apply again to affected Non-MAGI Medi-Cal programs, including Long Term Care and Medicare Savings Programs. The Pickle, Disabled Adult Child, and Disabled Widow/er programs are exceptions. The limits are $130,000 for one person, plus $65,000 for each additional household member, up to a maximum household size of 10.

New applicants for affected Non-MAGI programs must provide asset information and verification at application. Existing members must provide that information at their next annual renewal in 2026. These asset requirements concern the identified Non-MAGI programs; they should not be treated as a requirement for every Medi-Cal application.

Scheduled Adult Dental Coverage Changes

Beginning July 1, 2027, regular Medi-Cal dental coverage will end for members age 19 or older who lack satisfactory immigration status or cannot establish it, unless they are pregnant, in their one-year postpartum period, or former foster youth under 26. Emergency dental situations, including serious tooth pain, infections, and tooth extractions, will remain covered for affected members.

The agency calls this coverage level “full scope Medi-Cal with no Dental.” People who meet the affected criteria and applied before January 1, 2026, may continue using their full dental benefits through June 30, 2027. This scheduled dental change has a different effective date from the enrollment and asset changes.

EBT Card Security and Replacement

The agency warns EBT cardholders against providing card numbers, PINs, or personal information in response to texts, calls, or emails requesting them. It states that the agency will never request this information through those channels. Do not respond to an unsolicited request by sharing access information for your benefits.

For EBT questions or replacement assistance, call 1-877-328-9677. The county also identifies BenefitsCal as a replacement assistance route and recommends the ebtEDGE mobile application to help protect benefits. EBT card assistance is separate from questions about an eligibility decision, renewal, or required report.

Office Visits and Service Concerns

Which Office Should You Contact?

The agency’s official office locations directory includes offices in Oakland, Hayward, Fremont, and Livermore. Eastmont Town Center has separate Adult & Aging Services and Self-Sufficiency Center locations with different suite numbers and telephone numbers. Select the location associated with your service request.

Public access to the Edgewater Drive office is not permitted. Do not treat its address as a walk-in destination. The agency identifies that address for certain mailed materials, including General Assistance hearing requests, but a mailing destination and a public service counter are different things.

Complaints and Hearing Requests

The agency’s contact and complaint options distinguish discrimination complaints, client concerns, and appeals. A discrimination complaint concerns alleged discrimination by the county. A client concern addresses service you believe you are entitled to receive. An appeal requests a hearing about a problem with services.

The online self-services page identifies the state appeal system for CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, IHSS, Foster Care, and Welfare-to-Work. General Assistance claimants may request hearings only in writing or by telephone. The county provides a General Assistance Hearing Request Form and an Appeals Unit mailing destination. Choose the hearing route for the program involved rather than assuming all programs accept the same online request.

Social Services Offices and Contacts

Eastmont Town Center - Adult & Aging Services
6955 Foothill Boulevard, Suite 143, Oakland, CA 94605
510-577-1900

Eastmont Town Center - Self-Sufficiency Center
6955 Foothill Boulevard, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 94605
510-383-5300

Gail Steele Multi-Service Center (formerly Eden Area)
24100 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544
510-670-6000

Enterprise Self-Sufficiency Center
8477 Enterprise Way, Oakland, CA 94621
510-639-1090

Fremont Office
39155 Liberty Street, Suite C330, Fremont, CA 94536
510-795-2428

Livermore Self-Sufficiency Center
2499 Constitution Dr., Livermore, CA 94551
925-455-0747

Thomas L. Berkley Square (North Oakland)
2000 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612
510-891-0700

Edgewater Drive
7751 Edgewater Drive, Oakland, CA 94621
510-208-0995

Jackson St.
1111 Jackson St., Oakland, CA 94607
510-271-9100

Appeals Unit, Fair Hearings Request
7751 Edgewater Drive, Oakland, CA 94621
510-383-8768

Social Services FAQs

Which form requests a General Assistance accommodation?

The county lists form 90-152, Accommodation Request, among the documents used during the General Assistance application process. If you need an accommodation, review this specific form rather than relying on the separate health questionnaire to explain your request. The county’s General Assistance application materials include versions in Cambodian, Chinese, Farsi, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Follow the form’s instructions when describing the accommodation you are requesting; submitting a request does not establish eligibility for cash assistance.

Where can CalWORKs applicants find domestic abuse information?

The county provides document 40-87, Domestic Abuse Services and CalWORKs, in its CalWORKs application materials. It is available in English and several translated versions. The county classifies it as informational, so you can keep it for reference without returning it with your application. Applicants reviewing work participation requirements can also find CW 2186A, the CalWORKs Exemption Request Form. These documents serve different purposes: reading a services notice does not submit an exemption request.

Does Alameda County provide CalWORKs diversion information?

Yes. The county includes CW 88, You May Be Eligible for Diversion Services, in its CalWORKs application packet. Review that notice if you want to understand whether diversion services may be relevant to your circumstances. Its inclusion in the packet does not mean you have been approved. The county identifies CW 88 as informational only, so it does not need to be returned as a completed application form.

How are tribes involved in child welfare cases?

The county’s youth services page identifies an Indian Child Welfare Act liaison. It explains that federal and state law require child welfare agencies to make “active efforts” to prevent the breakup of Native American families, including actively engaging the family’s tribe. Tribes seeking involvement with the agency can use the liaison information provided on that official page.