VSalWORKs is a WE public assistance program that provides services and financial support to qualified families with children living at home, according to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
All 58 counties in the state are served by the program, which is managed locally by county welfare agencies.
A family may be eligible for short-term assistance if they need money for food, housing, utilities, clothing, or health care, even if they have little or no income.
Through CalWORKs, a family that meets the requirements can receive money each month to help pay for housing, food, and other essential living expenses.
CalWORKs Impact on Child Support
You might be curious if someone getting CalWORKs impacts the amount of child support they get, whether you apply for it, already get it, or your ex gets it.
Does getting CalWORKs or KinGAP, sometimes called government welfare or financial assistance, affect a parent’s ability to receive child support if they are divorced and receiving such benefits? They do, indeed.
A parent is only allowed to receive one of two types of support specified by law: court-ordered child support OR financial assistance.
Therefore, if a custodial parent receives financial assistance, they will only receive $50 of the court-ordered child support, and the rest will go to the state to repay any cash assistance they received.
Therefore, it will not affect the amount you pay if you are the non-custodial parent and your ex receives financial assistance.
All but $50 of your monthly child support will go directly to the state to make up for what it gave your ex-spouse.
However, if you receive government financial assistance, you can expect to earn $50 a month in child support.