Cash And Care · Checklist · Reviewed July 12, 2026

Cash aid and in-home support check

A first-step check for CalWORKs, county General Assistance, an urgent cash need, or IHSS care at home.

Why it matters

Cash aid and care at home are separate programs. CalWORKs and General Assistance start with the county. IHSS adds Medi-Cal, health certification, and a home assessment.

Official first stop

Start here

Find the right public office for everyday paperwork.

Open: CalWORKs See more tools like this

First moves

1
Start with the need: family cash aid, county cash help without a child in the home, an immediate emergency, or help with daily care at home.
2
For a family with a child, start with CalWORKs. Apply through the county or the official online path and save the filing confirmation.
3
For an adult without a child in the home, ask the county about General Assistance or General Relief. The name and local rules can differ by county.
4
If an emergency threatens health or safety during a CalWORKs application, tell the county you are requesting Immediate Need. The request can be spoken or written.
5
CDSS guidance says the county must conduct the Immediate Need determination interview no later than the next working day after the request arrives.
6
For IHSS, apply through the county IHSS office. Be ready for a Medi-Cal eligibility determination, a health care certification, and a county home visit.
7
Ask the health care professional to complete the certification promptly. The county generally needs it before services can be authorized.
8
Read the Notice of Action. An IHSS approval notice lists the services and monthly hours; a denial should state the reason.

Watch for

1
An Immediate Need request is not automatic approval. State the emergency clearly and give the county the requested proof.
2
CalWORKs, General Assistance, SSI, unemployment, Disability Insurance, and Paid Family Leave are separate programs.
3
General Assistance or General Relief is county-run. Rules, amounts, and program names can differ.
4
IHSS is not a general housekeeping program. The county assesses the tasks needed to remain safely at home.
5
An IHSS recipient generally hires and supervises the approved provider. Provider enrollment is another step after authorization.
6
A complaint about county service and a state hearing about a benefit decision are different paths.
7
A county benefit notice generally gives 90 days to request a state hearing. Read the notice because asking before an action takes effect can matter.

Directory paths

Keep moving through the directory.

Use the nearby shelf when this is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfStart hereFind the right public office for everyday paperwork.DirectoryPaperwork & MoneyReturn to the full tools shelf.Nearby toolFood, health coverage, and household helpChoose a first path for food, health coverage, cash aid, care at home, EBT trouble, or a utility shutoff.Nearby toolFood help, CalFresh, and WIC checkA first-step check when food is needed now or you are applying for CalFresh or WIC.A-ZFind another California pathUse the directory index when the task has a different name.

Cash aid and in-home support check

Keep moving through the directory.

See something wrong or unclear?