General Assistance

GA is cash assistance for low- or no-income adults without dependent children and emancipated minors. If you're looking for information about eligibility and ways to apply, you've come to the right place.

What is General Assistance?

The maximum cash grant for a single employable person on GA is $336 per month and $454 per month for an employable couple. However, grant amounts vary according to the number of people in the household, income, and the employability status of the recipient so not every recipient of GA benefits receives the maximum aid amount.

Financial support
CalFresh
Medi-Cal
Shelter referrals and housing assistance

Eligibility

You may be eligible for General Assistance if you are:

A U.S. citizen or non-citizen legally in the country with no limitation on your stay;
A resident of Contra Costa County for at least 15 days; and
An adult without dependent children

If you are receiving Social Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB), or State Disability Insurance (SDI) you may not be eligible.

The criteria used to determine your eligibility is also based on your income and property. Applicants may have up to $500 in personal property. GA applicants and recipients must apply for all potentially available income.

GA applicants and recipients must apply for all potentially available income.

Applicants and recipients who are unemployable and/or 65 years and older are required to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits through the Social Security Administration. Visit the SSI advocacy page for more information on SSI application assistance.
Legal non-citizens 65 years and older who meet certain residency requirements must apply for benefits through the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

All GA benefits are considered a loan to the individual receiving aid. GA applicants/recipients must sign a reimbursement agreement as a condition of eligibility.

Time Limits

Individuals determined to be employable will only be eligible for cash aid 90 days in any 12-month period unless permanently or temporarily disabled and unable to work.

Ways to Apply for General Assistance (GA)

Individuals may apply for General Assistance (GA) in the following ways:

Coming into a EHSD office Monday - Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Visit BenefitsCal to submit an online application.

Call the EHSD toll free line 866-663-3225 or (925) 957-5648 to reach staff to apply for GA.

Once you apply for GA, you will be given an interview appointment, additional forms are required. You will be sent an application packet with these forms, or they can be downloaded.

GA 201 E- GA Statement of Facts English | Spanish
GA 201 B- Agreement of Cooperation English | Spanish
SSP-14 – Authorization for Reimbursement of Interim Assistance Initial Claim or Post Eligibility Case English | Spanish

What Happens Next

At your interview, you may be asked to provide:

Photo Identification
Proof of income and resources
Information of citizenship status or legal immigration status
Social Security Number
Complete GA application

How to Submit Verifications and Forms

Online, you can submit required verifications and most GA forms at the BenefitsCal website.

Note: The original signed Form SSP 14 must be returned via mail or in-person or through a secure email from your GA worker. The secure email will allow the worker to send documents and get an electronic signature for this form and can expedite the application process.

You can submit any forms or verifications by mail to:
CMU
PO BOX 114
Concord, CA 94524-4114

Using Your Benefits

General Assistance recipients will receive their cash aid on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.

You can check your balance by:

Visiting the CardHolder Portal
Calling 1-877-328-9677

If your card is stolen or lost, please call 1-877-328-9677 to report it and to request a replacement card. If you are homeless please contact your worker for assistance. Protect yourself against scams, do not share your EBT card or PIN with others. We will never contact you to ask about these details so if you receive any phone calls, texts or emails asking for your information, DO NOT provide it to them.

Keeping your Benefits

To keep your General Assistance benefits you may need to complete a quarterly report, annual redetermination, and any mandatory mid-year reports. In addition, if your address or phone number changes you should report that to your GA worker as they may need to contact you over the phone and send you important documents and Notice of Action’s in the mail.

Quarterly Report

You may be required to submit a GA quarterly to report changes in circumstances such as changes in income, resources, household composition, and/or expenses, that may impact eligibility.

Individuals can submit GA QR7 forms:

In person by dropping them off to a Contra Costa County Social Employment and Human Services District office.

By Mail You can submit any forms or verifications to:

CMU
PO BOX 114
Concord, CA 94524-4114

Download Printable Blank GA QR 7 Forms: English | Spanish

Blank GA QR 7 Forms are also available at EHSD offices

Redetermination (RRR)

You are required to complete a redetermination every year, which includes completing an interview with an eligibility worker and submitting all redetermination forms and required verifications.

You can submit required verifications and most GA redetermination application forms online via BenefitsCal.

Individuals can submit GA RRR forms:

In person by dropping them off to a Employment and Human Services District office.
By Mail

Note: The original signed Form SSP 14 (English | Spanish) must be returned via mail, in-person or returned electronically with a digital signature.

Download Printable Blank Form GA 201 E

GA redetermination packet forms are also available at Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services District office.

It is mandatory to report the following changes within ten (10) days of occurrence.

Any changes in income
Anytime you have any change that may affect your eligibility

Use the GA QR3 form to report any changes: English | Spanish.

How to Report Change
Online: You can submit reports of changes online via BenefitsCal.
Or you can also use Adobe Sign Adobe Acrobat Sign Login — Sign in to your e-signature account (echosign.com) to email them to your GA Intake worker once you have an appointment scheduled.

By Phone: You can call 925-655-0990 to report any changes.
By Mail: You can submit any forms or verifications to CMU at the address listed below in the contact section.

Forms

Below are some important forms you may need to provide to your GA worker as part of you GA Intake and to continue to receive GA benefits.

Blank Forms are also available at EHSD district offices.

Contact

Other Programs

Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Provides cash assistance to certain aged, blind, and disabled legal immigrants ineligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment (SSI/SSP) due to their immigration status. CAPI participants may also be eligible to Medi-Cal, In-Home Supportive Services, and/or CalFresh Benefits.

Contra Costa County General Assistance Program is responsible for providing potentially eligible individuals with CAPI applications, assisting applicants with completing the application, conducting the required face-to-face interview, processing other public benefit program applications (General Assistance, Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs) and forwarding CAPI applications received to San Mateo County. Contra Costa County’s CAPI program is administered by San Mateo County who processes the CAPI applications and sends assistance payments directly to Contra Costa County residents.

How to Apply:

In Person

Come into any Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services District Office to get a CAPI application and to make an appointment to submit the application.

By Phone

Call the GA Line at 925-957-5647 to request to apply for CAPI

By Mail

Mail the completed SOC 814 application to the San Mateo CAPI Unit:

271-92^nd Street
Daly City, CA 94015

By Fax

Fax the completed SOC 841 application to: 650-301-8455, attention San Mateo CAPI Unit

For additional CAPI and CAPI Applications in other languages please see information from the California Department of Social Services.

More Information:

You can get recorded information 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays, by calling CAPI’s toll-free number, (800) 648-0954.

To be eligible for CAPI, you must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

Be a California resident;
Be age 65 or over, blind, or disabled;
Be a non-citizen and meet the immigration status criteria in effect for SSI/SSP as of 08/21/96;
Be ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to your immigration status. This means you must apply for SSI/SSP and submit proof of your ineligibility from the Social Security Administration;
Have resources below the allowable limits of $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple; and
Have income less than the CAPI payment standards.

If eligible, your CAPI payment amount will depend on your marital status, living arrangement, and income.

You are not eligible for CAPI if you are:

A United States (U. S.) Citizen;
A resident of a public institution for at least 30 consecutive days;
A fleeing felon/parole violator; or
Outside of California for at least 30 consecutive days.

The Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP) provides eligible non-citizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and other serious crimes services such as cash assistance, food benefits, employment and social services. Benefits and services are modeled after the Refugee Resettlement Program which follow the same grant amounts, structure and time frames as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and CalWORKs.

For more Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) or Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Programs (TCVAP) information please visit the Refugee & Immigrant Programs page.