What happens when a baby on CalWORKS dies
Oh dear God. I just came back to my desk after telling a woman that – because her baby died at birth – there will be no money, food stamps or medical coverage for her or the baby’s father from now on. In fact, the County of Los Angeles may bill them for the last two months of assistance they recieved after the baby died.
Mom and Dad live in their truck. They are leather skinned, thin, worn people who look transplanted from another recession: another era.
CalWORKS is Aid to Families with Dependant Children (AFDC, Federally) and without a minor child, there is no aid in my program. There is General Relief – and I know almost nothing about GR – other than where to apply.
Her baby was depending on them, and they were depending on the baby.
I feel like I kicked a woman when she was down, and I feel a little survivor’s guilt because this morning I was showing pictures of my healthy 5 month old.
