Dear HSA Staff,

HSA welcomes Area Agency on Aging staff to the Human Services Agency! Please read on for valuable information about restructuring changes at HSA, big changes coming with ways clients will apply for services, information about getting the message out to Medi-Cal clients about renewals and reporting changes, where folks can find additional food resources now and after the end of Emergency Allotments this month for CalFresh clients, news about the extended tax deadline, and more.
Director’s Message: HSA Restructuring
Please read this important message from our Agency Director, Melissa Livingston.
CalSAWS March 2023 Update
CalSAWS is coming on April 24, when clients will be moving from MyBenefitsCalwin to BenefitsCal. Here's what our clients will need to know:

  • MyBenefitsCalwin website and its mobile app are scheduled to be shut down on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 5 p.m. for a systemwide change.
  • Clients will no longer have access to MyBenefitsCalwin and its mobile app.
  • Starting on Monday, April 24, clients will need to create a new BenefitsCal account and link their case to their account.
  • BenefitsCal is a new simple way to apply, view, and renew CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal and General Relief benefits. All in one place!
  • Visit info.BenefitsCal.com for more information.

Please help spread the word!

Questions or Comments? Send an email to: heycalsaws@ventura.org
Extended Tax Deadline for Winter Storm Impacts
To help alleviate some of the hardship many have endured as a result of the December and January winter storms, the Franchise Tax Board has extended the filing and payment deadlines for individuals and businesses in Ventura County until October 16, 2023. Taxpayers affected by a presidentially declared disaster may also claim a deduction for disaster losses. For more information, visit:
Medi-Cal Renewals Starting June 1, 2023
Federal Law Changes: When the continuous coverage requirement ends in March 2023, the Continuous Coverage Unwinding period will begin in April 2023. As Medi-Cal has full month eligibility, this means that normal renewal processing resumes in April 2023 for individuals with a June 2023 renewal month.

To prepare, Medi-Cal members will need to update any change of mailing address, email address, and phone number to ensure receipt of their renewal packet so that those who are eligible can keep their Medi-Cal coverage or can receive help to transition to another type of coverage. Learn more about how to report changes at vchsa.org/medi-cal/report-income-changes-medi-cal.
CalFresh Emergency Allotments Ending
Federal Law Changes: The temporary CalFresh Emergency Allotments that provided a minimum of $95 for CalFresh households are ending. CalFresh Emergency Allotments were authorized under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. The February 2023 benefit month will be the last month for CalFresh clients to receive Emergency Allotments. February Emergency Allotment benefits will be put on EBT cards on March 26, 2023. Beginning April 2023, CalFresh benefits will return to the regular amount.

Where can clients find additional food resources? Free boxes of nutritious food are available for pick up at one of Food Share’s weekly pick-up locations or at designated locations countywide: Food Resource List.
WeGive to Invest in Health Care Locally
There's still time for Ventura County employees to join in the challenge and win big by investing locally in their own health care system. The Health Care Foundation for Ventura County's 2023 WeGive Employee Giving campaign runs through March 31, and 100% of every donation goes into equipment & programs that improve and save lives locally. This video highlights some of the WeGive purchases from just a few years ago.

Here are 3-ways you can give today:
  1. Payroll Deduction: Give $5 or more per-pay-period by signing up through your VCHRP portal. Scan the blue QR-code to give, or click here to learn how.
  2. Annual Leave: Give a minimum of 5-hours of unused vacation by emailing ac.payroll@ventura.org, provide your employee ID number and how many hours you wish to donate to HCFVC.
  3. One-time Donation: Scan the red QR-code to give. 
For even more ways to give, click here!

Become a WeGiver today and see the impact you can make on our health care system and—more importantly—to the lives of our friends, family and loved ones.
Payroll Deduction:
One-time Gift by Credit Card:
March Is ...
Women’s History Month
The community is invited to an International Women’s Day Celebration! As part of Ventura County’s ongoing commitment to enrich our understanding and to celebrate the accomplishments of women and others in history, please join us in this no-cost, family-friendly event to celebrate women’s contributions to culture, history and society.

March 8 — International Women’s Day, No-cost, Multicultural Community Event
Family Justice Center, 3170 Loma Vista Road, Ventura | 5:30–7:30 p.m. 
Social Work Month
Social Work Breaks Barriers! That's the theme for Social Work Month throughout March, and we're hoping social workers will take this theme to heart as we bring awareness to the awesome, lifechanging work that social workers do. In honor of Social Work Month, we celebrate the social workers at HSA and throughout the County of Ventura!

To see how social workers at Human Services Agency are breaking barriers, watch Orlando’s video story. Orlando is a father who had never met his daughter and wanted more than anything to know her. He worked hard with HSA social workers toward that goal and was able to bring his family together with the help of Children & Family Services Social Workers Eveline Alvarez Barron, Matilde Vargas, as well as other social workers who were involved. Orlando was so filled with joy that he wrote a special song for his family.

Check out the video and hear Orlando’s song:
National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, a month of promoting acceptance to create opportunities. This year's theme is Beyond the Conversation, an opportunity to uplift equity for individuals with disabilities. HSA is committed to breaking down barriers by making sure people with disabilities have access, inclusion, and independence in their communities.
The Textbook & Tuition program provides reimbursement up to $2,000 per fiscal year for textbooks, tuition, registration, lab fees, and graduation fees for occupationally related courses, workshops, and seminars completed on your own time. For more information, please email the Staff Development mailbox at HSA-Staff-Development@ventura.org.
COVID-19 Update
California’s COVID-19 State of Emergency Has Ended. The State of Emergency is over, but COVID-19 is still here. Ventura County residents continue to have access to vaccines, testing, and treatment to fight COVID-19. For COVID-19 information including vaccines, testing sites, boosted, therapeutics, and local data, visit www.vcrecovers.org.
For more Ventura County Human Services Agency Updates, visit: