Orange County, Calif. – The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) announced that it will begin to open some offices with limited functionality effective Monday, June 22, 2020, in accordance with the State’s variance to safely reopen business. This phased re-opening will help to ensure a greater number of Orange County residents have access to public assistance benefits and related services, while planning for the safety and protection of SSA clients and staff during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Orange County households interested in applying for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief and CalWORKs benefits or wishing to review existing case information are strongly encouraged to visit SSA’s online portal or contact the SSA Call Center, as outlined below, to avoid long in-person wait times and help prevent the spread of illness.

• Online: www.mybenefitscalwin.org
  • o As another option, individuals applying for CalFresh benefits only may visit www.getcalfresh.org
  • Households interested in applying for Medi-Cal only may also visit www.coveredca.com

• By phone: please call SSA’s Call Center at (800) 281-9799
  • Call Center hours are Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• To apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) or for questions related to ongoing IHSS cases, please call (714) 825-3000 or fax (714) 825-3001.
• In addition, if you suspect a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, call our Child Abuse Registry at (800) 207-4464.
• Please call the Adult Protective Services Hotline at (800) 451-5155 if you suspect a senior or dependent adult is at risk of abuse or neglect.

Beginning June 22, 2020, the following locations will be open to the public with limited functionality, Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.:

• Aliso Viejo Regional Center, 115 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
• Garden Grove Regional Center, 12912 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, CA 92840
• Anaheim Regional Center, 3320 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806
• Santa Ana Regional Center, 1928 S. Grand Ave., BLDG. B &C, Santa Ana, CA 92705
• Cypress Regional Center, 6100 Chip Ave., Cypress, CA 90630

Limited visitations and Live Scan appointments will resume by appointment only for Children & Family Services clients. Assigned social workers will contact clients directly to schedule appointments as applicable.

All other SSA offices will remain closed to the public until further notice.

Clients who arrive at SSA facilities will go through a brief pre-check process prior to being allowed entry into an SSA lobby. SSA staff will inquire about the purpose of the client’s visit and will conduct a short health screening questionnaire. Visitors will be strongly encouraged to practice physical distancing throughout their visit. It is highly recommended that all visitors, unless under the age of two, those who have breathing issues or those with an underlying medical or mental health issue, wear a face mask or cloth facial covering for the safety of others.

“At SSA, the health and well-being of our clients and staff is paramount. In addition to asking members of the public as well as our employees to practice good health habits and perform physical distancing, we have taken precautions to modify lobby seating configurations, install
protective barriers and perform enhanced cleaning to help prevent the spread of illness, among other safety measures,” said SSA Director Debra Baetz. She continued, “While some of our offices are opening in this first phase of re-entry, we urge visitors to continue to apply for new benefits or check on their existing cases by phone or online in order to remain safe at home.”

For additional information on SSA programs, please visit: www.ssa.ocgov.com

To stay up to date with information concerning the COVID-19 situation in Orange County, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.