Everyday, disabled General Assistance and CalWORKs clients are denied Social Security Disability Benefits. Many of these clients who suffer from mental and/or physical disabilities need help making it through the maze of the Social Security system. Providing ongoing Advocacy Services has helped these clients make it through the Social Security application process more effectively.

The role of the Advocacy Social Worker is to assist with the SSI application process with the client. The Advocacy Social Workers assist the clients in completing the SSI application forms, and will send the application to Social Security for the client. The Advocacy Social Worker interviews the client in order to gather social, physical, mental and emotional health information about the client to construct a Social Summary report to submit to Social Security on behalf of the client. Once the client has applied for SSI, the Advocacy Social Worker assists the client in obtaining medical and or mental health records, scheduling and keeping appointments, and following through with the many steps involved in the long journey to SSI eligibility. This is an important service to disabled clients because they would be unable to navigate the complicated Social Security System on their own.

If you would like additional information about Advocacy Services for CalWORKS or GA clients, please call Program Analyst Ndubuisi Chimara at (925) 313-1604.