Child/Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline: 805-654-3200
How to Apply for Benefits
Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid healthcare program that provides comprehensive health coverage for people with low or no income. In Ventura County, Medi-Cal is administered by the Human Services Agency. To qualify for Medi-Cal, you have to live in California and meet program eligibility rules.
Medi-Cal provides comprehensive health coverage for for individuals with low incomes, including:
- Families with children
- Seniors
- Persons with disabilities
- Children in out-of-home care
- CalWORKs participants
- Pregnant individuals
- People with low incomes who have specific diseases such as tuberculosis, breast cancer, or HIV/AIDS
What Is Medi-Cal?
CalFresh
The CalFresh program helps families and people who have little or no income buy groceries. CalFresh benefits come loaded on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card that can be used like a bank debit card to buy food at most grocery stores, farmers markets and other places that sell food.
You may be eligible to receive CalFresh benefits if you are a U.S. Citizen, eligible non-citizen or Legal Permanent Resident with low or no income, or if you receive one of our Cash-Aid Programs, such as CalWORKs or General Relief.
CalFresh provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low income, including:
- Seniors
- Persons with disabilities
- SSI/SSP recipients
- CalWORKs participants
- College Students
If you are without money for food today, you may qualify for expedited services. For more information about emergency food – expedited services, click CalFresh benefits.
What Is CalFresh?
CalWORKs
The CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity & Responsibility to Kids) program can provide cash assistance to families with children. Certain adults in the program must participate in Welfare-to-Work activities, looking for work, attending job trainings, working, or furthering education—to lead to self-sufficiency.
You may qualify for CalWORKs if you:
- Are a US citizen or immigrant who has been given permission to live in the United States
- Live in California and plan to stay
- Have a Social Security number or have applied for one, and
- Meet the income limits for your family size
Additionally, you may qualify for CalWORKS if you:
- Are a caretaker of a minor child
- Are pregnant or have eligible minor children
- If one or both parents:
- do not live in the home,
- are no longer living, or
- are disabled;
- Or if both parents are living in the home but the principal earner is unemployed or working <100 hours/month when applying
CalWORKs participants are automatically eligible for Medi-Cal and may qualify for CalFresh.
What Is CalWORKs?
How Do I Apply?
There are several ways to apply for Medi-Cal, CalFresh & CalWORKs benefits:
Online
Fill out and submit an application at BenefitsCal.com
Paper Application (drop-off, FAX or mail)
- Download an application:
Medi-Cal Application: English or Spanish
CalFresh Application: English (Large Print) or Spanish or
- Call a Community Service Center to request a paper application, which includes a return postage-paid envelope.
Then, complete the applications and either:
- Drop it off at a Community Service Center, or
- Fax it to 805-658-4530, or
- Mail the completed form to:
County of Ventura
Human Services Agency L#5290
855 Partridge Drive
Ventura, CA 93003-9565
By Phone
Call 888-472-4463 TTY 800-735-2922 or 711 to apply over the phone.
Healthcare application information cannot be used for civil immigration enforcement. Read this letter for more information.
Individuals eligible for Medi-Cal due to other conditions such as blindness, disability, or age may be subject to different income and asset criteria.
Below are the monthly income limits for Adults Ages 19–64, based on the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) amounts. Last updated March 2024.
Income Limits
| People in Your Home | At or below 138% FPL | Between 138% and 400% FPL | Aat or below 130% FPL | At or below MBSAC |
| 1 | $1,732 | $1,732–$4,860 | $1,579 | $862 |
| 2 | $2,351 | $2,351–$6,573 | $2,136 | $1,415 |
| 3 | $2,969 | $2,969–$8,287 | $2,693 | $1,753 |
| 4 | $3,588 | $3,588–$10,000 | $3,250 | $2.080 |
| 5 | $4,207 | $4,207–$11,713 | $3,807 | $2,373 |
| You May Qualify for… | Medi-Cal | Health Insurance Premium Assistance | CalFresh | CalWORKs |
Questions & Useful Links
Get answers and find more information
Benefits Status
Check the status of your benefits
Report Changes
How to report income or other changes
Replacement Card
How to request a benefit replacement card
