General Relief / General Assistance

Program Goals

The General Relief program is a cash aid program that provides assistance to all eligible indigent residents of Placer County. It is intended to provide short-term assistance that will enable a recipient to become self-supporting, or to obtain support from another source. Generally, those who qualify for General Relief do not qualify for other Federal or State aid programs.

Eligibility Factors

There are four basic eligibility factors:

• Income – All income received by an applicant or recipient is considered income in the month of receipt, and is deducted from the grant amount.
• Resources – The combined value of all real and personal property shall not exceed $50. One vehicle with a value of less than $1500 is not counted toward the property limit.
• All applicants who own their home are required to sign an agreement to reimburse Placer County for all General Relief benefits they receive. This agreement is recorded and a lien in placed on the real property.
• Age – The applicant/recipient must be at least 18 years of age or be emancipated.
• Residency – The applicant/recipient must be a resident of Placer County, must have been a county resident for at least 15 days, and must provide verification of intent to continue to reside in the county.

There are other eligibility factors that may or may not pertain to your case. Your worker will discuss these with you at the time of your application.

Employable Applicants / Recipients

A person who is employable:

• must register for work
• must apply for Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB) if potentially eligible, and
• are limited to a time limit of 3 months in a twelve month period whether or not the months are consecutive. This includes time on aid in other California counties as an employable person subject to this time limit. Individuals who are determined to be unemployable are excluded from the time limit.

Unemployable Applicants / Recipients

A person who states that they are unemployable must:

• cooperate in obtaining verification of his/her disability
• apply for SSI/SSP and/or other disability benefits as determined appropriate by the department.

Applying for Aid

To apply for General Relief benefits, you must visit one of the offices listed below. You will be asked to complete application forms and have an interview with a program specialist.
All applicants are required to sign an SSI/SSP interim assistance agreement. If an individual has already applied for SSI/SSP, or later applies, this agreement allows the County to be repaid from the retroactive SSI/SSP award should the individual be approved for SSI/SSP.

Where to Apply

The General Relief program is administered by the Placer County Department of Human Services. You may apply for the program in person, by mail, or by telephone.

What to Bring

To expedite your application you may wish to bring with you the following items of verification if applicable:

• A picture identification card
• Social security card
• Rent and utility receipts
• Vehicle registration
• Bank account statements
• Proof of any income you receive

Amount of Aid

Your worker will calculate the amount of benefits that you can receive. The maximum benefits are shown in the following table:

* If applicant/recipient does not actually incur this expense, or someone else pays for it – these amounts are not included in the total grant amount.

Client Responsibility

Once aid is granted, the recipient must report changes in their income, household composition and property to their worker every month on their Monthly Eligibility Report (CW7).
A re-determination of eligibility is required for every 6 months for General Relief recipients.

How Will I Get My General Relief Payments

General Relief benefits are issued on a plastic card called an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Money can be accessed by making purchases from stores that have POS (point of sale) machines, or at ATM’s displaying the “QUEST” logo.

Medi-Cal

Individuals who are eligible for General Relief may also qualify for Medi-Cal (if disabled) or for the County Medical Care Services Program (MCSP). A separate application is required.

Food Stamps

If an individual is eligible for General Relief, the individual may also be eligible to participate in the Food Stamp program. A separate application is required.

To report public assistance fraud, including IHSS fraud, please call 888 385-5160 or 916.784.6180, or send an e-mail to:  ReportWelfareFraud@placer.ca.gov