Starting June 1, 2026, some CalFresh applicants and recipients will need to prove they meet Work and Community Engagement requirements to qualify for benefits. 

To receive CalFresh, which provides funds to buy healthy food, able-bodied adults without dependents, or ABAWDs, ages 18-64 must prove they are spending at least 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month, performing one or any combination of the following activities: working, volunteering or completing job training.

ABAWDs may be exempt from the requirements under certain circumstances, including if they are pregnant, have a disability, care for a child younger than 14, or are 65 or older. 

If ABAWDs do not have an exemption and do not meet the requirements, they will only be able to receive 3 months of CalFresh benefits within a 36-month period. 

While CalFresh applicants must prove they meet the Work and Community Engagement requirements starting June 1, 2026, current recipients will not need to do so until their annual renewal date.

The requirements follow the April 1, 2026, discontinuance of benefits for certain immigration classifications, including refugees, parolees and asylees, as determined at application or renewal time.

Both changes are a result of H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, passed in July 2025.

Residents seeking food assistance can visit 211OC.org or dial 2-1-1 to speak with a live specialist and connect to local food resources, as well as other health and human services including housing, healthcare, employment assistance and more.

For more information on these and upcoming changes, please visit https://ssa.ocgov.com/Changes-Medi-cal-Calfresh.

Magnetic stripe-only Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards previously issued to residents will be deactivated on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Residents must use a chip/tap-enabled EBT card to continue accessing benefits. EBT chip/tap-enabled cards feature security upgrades that protect users from fraud. 

Residents who already have chip/tap-enabled EBT cards do not need to take further action. Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) and SUN Bucks magnetic-stripe EBT cards will not be affected. 

Recipients use EBT cards to buy food and access cash benefits.

To request a replacement card, EBT cardholders can call the EBT Helpline at 877-328-9677, visit BenefitsCal.com or ebtedge.com, or contact their local Social Services Agency office in person or by phone at 800-281-9799.

Effective January 1, 2026, two changes to Medi-Cal eligibility rules will take effect:

• Reinstated asset limits: Adults 65 and older, people with disabilities, and those who are in a family that exceeds income limits under federal tax rules will need to meet asset requirements to receive Medi-Cal. Countable assets include bank accounts, cash and properties such as more than one house or vehicle.
• Full-scope enrollment freeze: Adults 19 or older, not pregnant and undocumented or without satisfactory immigration status, will no longer qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal coverage if they apply for benefits on or after January 1, 2026. They may only qualify for restricted-scope Medi-Cal, which covers emergency, pregnancy-related and nursing home care.
  • This rule applies to new enrollments only; individuals who already have full-scope Medi-Cal will not lose their coverage but must fill out their renewal form on time to keep their benefits. New applicants affected by this change may still apply for full-scope benefits through December 31, 2025.

The changes are the first of several to impact Medi-Cal and CalFresh over the next few years as a result of the state’s budget bill passed in June 2025 and the federal government’s H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law in July 2025. 

Currently in Orange County, nearly 1 million residents receive Medi-Cal benefits and more than 300,000 receive CalFresh benefits. 

Affected Medi-Cal members will receive letters by mail, text or email. All Medi-Cal members are urged to keep their contact information up-to-date and to continue meeting mandatory reporting requirements, including submitting renewal forms and verification documents upon request to ensure their cases remain active. 

Anyone with questions about their Medi-Cal or CalFresh benefits or needing to report changes can do so online at BenefitsCal.com, by calling (800) 281-9799 or by visiting the nearest County of Orange Social Services Agency office.

A webpage has been set up to house information about the upcoming changes as well as links to frequently asked questions (FAQs):  https://ssa.ocgov.com/Changes-Medi-cal-Calfresh

This year’s Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County is now available. The report details the conditions of health, economic well-being, education and safety of Orange County’s children, giving insight into the ongoing efforts and progress in the conditions of our community’s youth.

Two areas of interest in this year’s report are the access to healthcare during pregnancy and the rise in kindergarten readiness. 

Consistent prenatal care during pregnancy increases the potential for healthy pregnancies, resulting in full-term babies. In 2023, Orange County’s rate of pregnant people receiving early prenatal care was 90.2%, exceeding both state and national levels. Despite an increase in access to prenatal care over the last decade, Orange County is experiencing an increase in preterm births at 8.8% and low birth weights at a 7.4% rate. Both preterm and low birth weight infants face severe, lifelong risks such as developmental delays, serious illnesses and disabilities, and early death. 

Over the last decade, the rate of children in Orange County who were developmentally ready for kindergarten has increased, measuring 53% in 2025. From 2015 to 2025, four out of five developmental areas showed improvement, with language and cognition increasing by 7 percentage points to 74.4%. Emotional maturity declined to 76.5% in 2025, the only area experiencing a decrease in the last decade.

The following areas have shown improvement in the lives of Orange County’s youth: 

• Good Health: With the increase of access to behavioral health, emotional counseling among teens in Orange County has increased over the last decade. In 2024, 22.8% of youth ages 12-17 years reported receiving psychological/emotional counseling in the past year.
• Education:  Over 50% of local high school graduates completed the course requirements to be eligible to apply to a University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU),      beating the state average in college readiness.
• Economic Well-being: With a total of 84,842 licensed early childcare spaces in Orange County in 2024 -2025, numbers have increased over the last decade. Early care programs benefit all children, especially children from families with low incomes and dual language learners.
• Safe Homes and Communities: In 2022/23, 41% of Orange County foster children ages 0 to 18 years were placed in permanent homes within 12 months of entering foster care — an increase of 9.9 percentage points in the last decade. Permanent placement of foster children who cannot remain safely with their parents due to abuse and/or neglect reduces the instability that can lead to attachment disorders, poor educational outcomes and mental health and behavioral challenges. 

Continued areas for improvement include insecure housing, racial and ethnic disparities, and child poverty, among others. Chronic absenteeism continues to decline from previous years, with the highest rates among students enrolled in Foster Youth and Homeless Youth. 

Understanding the key factors affecting Orange County’s children paves the path for progress by boosting awareness and bettering our community for past and future generations. 

Read the full report.

For four decades, Orangewood Children and Family Center (OCFC) has welcomed vulnerable, displaced children into a safe, compassionate temporary home. 

Originally named Orangewood Children’s Home when it opened in 1985 under Bill Steiner and Gen. William Lyon’s leadership, the shelter is a haven for abused and neglected children. Today, operating under the County of Orange Social Services Agency, OCFC continues to support Orange County foster youth on a beautiful 10-acre campus, providing 24-hour emergency shelter and trauma-informed services for children from birth to age 18.  The center provides care for over 1,100 abused, neglected or abandoned children every year, offering a path to a brighter future. 

Orangewood recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with the people and partners who have been instrumental in supporting its mission. Members of the County of Orange Board of Supervisors, Bill H. Lyon, son of Gen. Lyon, Craig Arthur, Presiding Judge of the Orange County Juvenile Court, Chris Simonsen, CEO of Orangewood Foundation, Doug DeCinces, Orangewood Foundation board member, and Loan English, SSA Children and Family Services Division Director, shared memories and impacts to Orange County children. 

“This success wouldn’t be possible without hardworking SSA staff, community partners and volunteers who have dedicated time and effort in supporting Orangewood Children and Family Center,” said SSA Director An Tran. “This facility runs 24/7. Our staff and volunteers work around the clock to ensure these children are protected and cared for at a time when they most need it.” 

At the gathering, Orangewood Children and Family Center honored the following partners:

• Segerstrom Center for the Arts
• Assistance League of Orange
• Catholic Ministries
• Southern California Frozen & Refrigerated Foods (SCFRC)
• Mariners Church
• Orange County Bar Association
• Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS)
• Free Chapel
• Creating Pride
• La Casa
• Orangewood Foundation

Children currently housed at OCFC celebrated with a carnival-themed event that included food, games and entertainment. 

“Orangewood is more than a shelter. It’s a place of transition, of transformation, where we meet uncertainty with empathy, structure and care. Every child who enters Orangewood leaves with hope,” CFS Director English stated. 

If you’re interested in volunteering at or making a donation to OCFC, please visit ssa.ocgov.com. 

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is pleased to announce that its annual report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 is now available. This year’s report spotlights the agency’s progress and achievements in serving one in three Orange County residents. 

SSA’s FY 2024-2025 accomplishments include: 

• Increasing client protection by replacing outdated magnetic-strip Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards with chip/tap enabled cards that safeguard benefits from fraud
• Decreasing SSA call center abandonment rates by adjusting office hours, reflecting higher efficiency in customer service
• Leading the State in kinship placement — ranking first out of all 58 California counties in keeping children connected with their families while they are out of their parents’ custody
• Implementing an In-Home Supportive Services business model that improves service delivery with a focus on increasing processing and reassessment rates and staff support

“This past fiscal year, SSA staff rose up to the challenge of supporting and uplifting our community during a time of economic and legislative uncertainties that continue to impact safety net programs for the most vulnerable in Orange County,” said SSA Director An Tran. “In spite of these obstacles, our Agency remains committed to deepening our connections in the community, embracing accessibility and innovation as we serve and protect Orange County’s most vulnerable. 

Read SSA's Annual Report 2024-2025 here. 

CalFresh benefits have returned to the regular issuance process with the end of the federal government shutdown. 

No CalFresh benefits remain on hold. CalFresh applicants and recipients can now expect to receive their full benefits.

Orange County CalFresh recipients can check their case status at BenefitsCal.com, 800-281-9799 or one of SSA’s offices.

The spending bill signed Wednesday provides funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh in California, until September 30, 2026. 

Low-income residents are able to buy healthy food with the funds CalFresh loads onto EBT cards. In Orange County, more than 310,000 Orange County residents – mostly older adults and children – receive more than $60 million in benefits each month. 

California has begun issuing November CalFresh benefits, starting with recipients who normally receive their benefits between the first and seventh of the month. Recipients may already see their usual funds loaded onto their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. At this time, it is anticipated that the rest of November’s benefits will be issued on the regularly scheduled timeline.

In a statement released November 6, 2025, Gov. Newsom pointed to a court order for the immediate release of 100% of funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California. Benefits for November were delayed due to the federal government shutdown.

The County of Orange Social Services Agency continues to monitor communications from the state and federal agencies responsible for CalFresh and SNAP. Future benefits could continue to be delayed during the federal government shutdown.

“While the situation remains fluid, it is a relief to know our most vulnerable residents will be able to put food on their tables, especially as the holidays near,” SSA Director An Tran said.

Orange County residents needing assistance with food can visit 211oc.org or call 2-1-1 to be connected to pantries in their area. 

CalFresh recipients are urged to continue meeting mandatory reporting requirements, including submitting SAR7 semi-annual reports, recertifications and verification documents upon request on time to ensure their cases remain active as the shutdown continues. 

Low-income residents are able to buy healthy food with the funds CalFresh loads onto EBT cards. In Orange County, more than 310,000 Orange County residents – mostly older adults and children – receive more than $60 million in benefits each month. 

Residents can find additional information about the CalFresh benefits delay at  https://www.ssa.ocgov.com/CalFreshDelay.

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, CalFresh benefits will be delayed in November. 

CalFresh recipients can call 2-1-1 or visit 211oc.org to be connected to food, housing and utility resources. November benefits are anticipated to be retroactively issued when the shutdown is resolved.

Although CalFresh cases will not be closed due to the federal government shutdown, recipients are urged to continue meeting all mandatory reporting requirements, including requests for verification, submitting SAR7 semi-annual reports and completing renewals on time to ensure benefits can continue promptly when funding resumes.

Funding for CalWORKs and Medi-Cal benefits at this time are secured through the end of 2025. 

CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps low-income residents buy healthy food. More than 310,000 Orange County residents — mostly older adults and children — receive CalFresh.

Per federal guidelines, a recipient’s net monthly income must be at or below 100% of the poverty line. For a family of four, this means an annual income of less than $32,000 a year after factoring in eligible deductions.

“The Social Services Agency issues on average $62 million a month in CalFresh benefits,” said Director An Tran. “This will not only have an impact on the families and individuals receiving benefits, but also the local economy. For every dollar of benefit spent at local retailers accepting EBT, up to $1.50 is generated.”

Updates will be shared as they become available. 

The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) continues to monitor changes to how the federal government obtains our clients’ data. 

Per reports from CalMatters, NPR, KTLA and the LA Times, the state of California has sued to challenge the transfer of data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. SNAP — known as CalFresh in California — helps low-income families put food on their tables.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has demanded data be turned over by July 30, to include: 

• Social Security Numbers
• Dates of Birth
• Addresses
• Immigration statuses
• Purchase histories

While various outlets have reported that this unprecedent ask is another part of the federal government’s immigration enforcement efforts, regulations prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving CalFresh. Families with mixed immigration statuses, however, may receive benefits, e.g., an undocumented mother may apply for CalFresh on behalf of her child, who is an American citizen.

As with Medi-Cal, our agency only uses client personal information to determine eligibility for CalFresh, and that information is stored in a state-run database. Again, the County of Orange was not involved in the decision to transfer any client data and we caution clients that disenrolling from benefits will not retroactively remove their personal information from the state-run database.

We acknowledge that this new development could further discourage Orange County residents from applying for and using the benefits they are legally entitled to, which will not just affect our clients. Research shows that CalFresh/SNAP to be one of the most powerful anti-hunger programs, particularly benefiting young children, while injecting $1.54 into the economy for every $1 spent on benefits.

SSA remains committed to serving the most vulnerable in our community, creating a stronger Orange County through supports and services that develop self-sufficiency for our clients.