Siskiyou County Human Services - Food Stamops, Medi-Cal, General Assistance

Human Services

Strengthening Family, Building Community

Other Programs:
Food Stamps, Medi-Cal, General Assistance

Food Stamps: The goal of the Food Stamp Program is to make it easier for people to have nutritious, adequate diets.

The amount of food stamp benefit is determined by the US Department of Agriculture's lowest cost food plan, varied by household size, income, and is adjusted annually for inflation.

The Food Stamp Program issues benefits to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card for qualified low-income households to use like debit cards at participating grocery outlets.

General Assistance: Siskiyou County’s General Assistance Program was established to assist those eligible indigent individuals and dependent poor who have no other means to meet their basic needs for shelter and utilities and who are actively seeking employment or are unemployable. This program is time limited and assists recipients in obtaining employment.

Medi-Cal: Medi-Cal is a public assistance program which provides health care services to CalWORKs recipients and other qualified low-income persons. To be eligible a person and /or family must meet certain eligibility requirements. These requirements include: age, deprivation, disability and pregnancy. Medi-Cal has many sub-categories within the program.

County Medical Services Program: County Medical Services Program, also known as CMSP, provides medical coverage to those individuals who do not meet the criteria for Medi-Cal.

Healthy Families: This insurance program is provided by the State for a minimal fee to families who do not qualify for Medi–Cal with a zero share-of-cost, but whose income and property levels fall within the set limits. There are monthly premiums and co-pays with this program. Applications and information about this program are available at any of our offices.

Chick out the information on the California Department of Social Services Website.

Food Stamps Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where are my Food Stamps?

    Food Stamp benefits are electronically issued to your personal Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
    card. Benefits are available to you during the first ten days of the month, as long as you have turned in
    your paperwork on time.

2. My EBT Card is lost or stolen. Can I get another one?

    Yes, contact Citicorp at 1-877-328-9677, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to report a lost or stolen
    EBT card. A new EBT card will be issued to you. Or you may contact your worker for a replacement.

3. Can I use the EBT card at a grocery store in another state?

    Yes, Food Stamps are a Federal program. Most stores accept the EBT card, but if in doubt, ask the
    store first.

4. My sister and her children moved in/out. Do I need to tell my worker?

    Yes, you must report any changes to your household to your worker as soon as possible. This may
    affect your benefits.

5. What kinds of things can I buy with my food stamps?

    Food Stamps can buy food for human consumption and seeds and plants that produce foods for the
    household to eat. Food Stamps cannot buy: any non-food item, such as pet foods, soaps, paper products,
    and household supplies; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; vitamins and medicines; any food that will be
    eaten in the store; hot foods that are ready to eat; and any food marketed to be heated in the store.

General Assistance Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will I get my check?

    Checks are mailed on the last day of the month, if you had all your paperwork turned into your worker
    on time.

2. I don't have a photo ID. What do I do?

    You can have your check stamped by the main office, and you need to get a photo ID as soon as possible.

3. My neighbor receives GA but doesn't attend Job Connection or job search. Why do I?

    Every case is different and may have different requirements .

4. How can you ask me to look for work when I have no money? Can you help me out with clothing
    and transportation?

    Contact your worker for information.

MediCal/CMSP Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I have other health insurance coverage and still be eligible for Medi-Cal or CMSP?

    Yes, your other coverage will be billed first, and Medi-Cal/CMSP will then serve as a secondary coverage.

2. Will I be responsible to pay anything toward my medical care?

    Depending upon your income level, you may be responsible for paying a portion of your medical
    care - called a “share of cost”, as well as any required co-payments to the provider.

3. What do I do when providers do not credit us, husband and wife, for the family share of cost
    when my husband has CMSP and I have Medi-Cal?

    Unfortunately, providers are supposed to use the lowest amount family share of cost; however, frequently
    providers use the share of cost for each person. This is a provider error and one the county is unable to
    correct or do anything about. You must ask your provider to correct the error.

4. How do I get last month's medical bills paid?

   You can request retroactive coverage for Medi-Cal. There is no retroactive benefits for the CMSP Program.
Medi-Cal can be used for prior medical bills up to 90 days old, just take your BIC card into your medical
provider for billing.

5. Why do I have to go through Family Support in order to be eligible for Medi-Cal?

    The County is required to verify whether or not the absent parent has insurance coverage for the children
    only. Medi-Cal is not attempting to establish child support for the children.

More information about these programs is available at: California Department of Social Services.

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