For years, persons receiving SSI – primarily older adults and people with disabilities – have been excluded from receiving food assistance. But starting this month, those barriers to food security are being lifted.
Tarney Sheldon, Nutrition Basics program manager for North Coast Opportunities, announced Friday that beginning June 1, people receiving SSI or SSP will be eligible to apply for CalFresh benefits.
“This is a major expansion of CalFresh eligibility – the first expansion in a very long time,” says Lily Caravello, program administrator for Mendocino County’s Health and Human Services Agency.
“This is big news that will do a lot to make a difference in the lives of these individuals and families. It’s a change in the eligibility requirements for CalFresh, formerly known as ‘food stamps,’” explains Sheldon.
The new recipients include people who receive SSI – Supplemental Security Income – or SSP – Supplemental Security Payments – from the federal government. Generally speaking, this includes disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources, and/or people age 65 and older who have limited income and resources – separate categories from those who receive “Social Security” as part of their worker’s retirement plan, or those who receive “SDI” State Disability Insurance.
Historically, state officials excluded SSI and SSP recipients to ease the bureaucratic load on this population.
“The state’s motivation was to give people all their benefits in one check, so that people did not have to go from agency to agency. But the cash allotment wasn’t enough to cover food,” says Sheldon.
“Now, there’s a streamlined process, and many more people will qualify,” says Caravello,
“We used to have Americorps/Vista members who interacted with people at Plowshares and the Food Bank. They worked with people on SSI who really needed nutrition assistance. Despite the fact that their entire monthly income was between $700 to $900 per month, every single person was ineligible for CalFresh benefits. This was really a barrier. Folks on SSI didn’t have enough money to purchase food,” Sheldon continues.
Advocates spent a decade or more fighting to get this population certified for CalFresh. The results, according to Caravello, are better than anyone had hoped for.
“We thought that they’d end up with a lower SSI check to qualify for CalFresh. But that’s not what happened. SSI benefits will not change. Now these folks will be able to apply for CalFresh, with the majority qualifying for food assistance,” says Caravello.
“People on SSI who qualify for CalFresh will have no reduction to their SSI payment. What they will have is an additional infusion of funds that will help provide them greater access to food through the CalFresh program,” says Sheldon.
In Mendocino County, there are currently 3,300 SSI recipients. Some have already begun applying, with monthly applications up by about 30 percent in May. Though the majority of individuals will be eligible, Caravello notes that there are specific stipulations.
“Those already on SSI who live in a home where no one else has Cal Fresh will very likely be eligible, such as a single, disabled person living in a single home. That’s the simplest situation.”
For more complex living situations, each application will be approved on a case-by-case basis. “Senior disabled couples, particularly those over the age of 60 will likely be eligible. A disabled child living with their parents may or may not be eligible, because the program looks into the entire household, and how the household purchases and prepares food,” Caravello explains.
In the past, SSI recipients living with people already enrolled in CalFresh had been excluded. “Now, following their annual renewal, they can be added into the program. That could impact the entire household’s eligibility, but there are two programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Benefit Program and the Transitional Nutrition Assistance Program, which were created to help these households because of these new changes affecting SSI recipients,” she continues.
For some people, accepting food assistance funding has been associated with guilt or shame. “We occasionally hear from applicants that they don’t want to take money from someone else. CalFresh benefits come from the federal government, and not the state budget,” says Sheldon. “Money that isn’t spent gets left on the table, and does not get used in the community. When we have more people enrolled, it brings economic benefits to our county.”
Many seniors may not realize that unlike the food stamps of yesteryear, CalFresh purchases are made using an EBT card, assuring a recipient’s preservation of anonymity and dignity.
California has had historically low CalFresh participation rates. In Mendocino County, approximately 30 percent of eligible recipients are not enrolled. “People who are very low income spend a large portion of their money on non-taxable food. With this program in place, more money can be spent on taxable goods. CalFresh monies are tax dollars that folks have already paid into the system,” Sheldon notes. “This is not a ‘welfare program.’ These funds come out of the Farm Bill.”
Farmers as well as SSI recipients receive a huge benefit from this program, as certified farmer’s markets in Mendocino County participate in a “double match” program, which doubles the amount of local, fresh food a CalFresh recipient can purchase from farmers. “The local Market Match program means even greater access to healthy food at our farmer’s markets, which increases weekly federal funds to local farmers. It’s a direct contribution to our farmers,” says Sheldon.
In addition to the new regulations, there is an easy, new way to apply for the program. GetCalFresh.org, created by Code for America offers an online application. “Before you enter in name, you can enter basic information to see if you qualify,” says Caravello. Applicants may also call Social Services to request a paper application, or come into any Family Resource Center or the Hillside Health Clinic in Ukiah. Expedited services are available, and if one qualifies, CalFresh benefits will be available within three business days.
“This is going to be a big boost for our community’s health and the local economy, as well as helping our community address issues around poverty,” Sheldon concludes.
A new CalFresh recipient sums up the positive changes:
“It’s amazing how difficult it used to be, for so many, to apply for food assistance. Thanks so much, to you and your healthcare team in Mendocino, for providing such knowledgeable access to quality nutrition.You are literally saving lives!!”
Applications may be picked up in Ukiah at 737 S. State Street, Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., or in Fort Bragg at 764 S. Franklin St., Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 5 pm.
For more information, in Ukiah phone (877) 327-1711 and in Fort Bragg phone (877) 327-1677.
