Benefits & Services Cash Assistance CAPI

Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

CAPI is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, or disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) eligibility for most non-citizens. As a result, most immigrants who were not receiving SSI/SSP in August 1996 are no longer eligible for SSI/SSP.

To be eligible for CAPI you must:

  1. Be ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to immigration status,
  2. Be 65 years old or older, blind, or disabled,
  3. Be a resident of California,
  4. Meet certain income and resource requirements, and
  5. Be a non-citizen and meet the immigration status criteria (See Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP) Section 49.020 “Immigration Status”)

State regulations governing CAPI are found in Manual of Policies and Procedures, Division 49.

How CAPI Works

  • You can complete the CAPI application (SOC 814) by calling your local county social services office. You may also complete the application and deliver it to your local county social services office in person, by mail, fax, or email.
  • A county eligibility worker will be assigned to your case, and you may be asked to provide additional information including (but not limited to) immigration documents, a rental agreement, and bank statements.
  • You have the right to ask for extra help with completing your application or with any other matter related to your CAPI case. If you are not sure what kind of help is available, just ask your county eligibility worker.
  • You will be notified by mail if your CAPI application has been approved or denied, or if more information is needed for the county to make an eligibility determination.
  • CAPI benefit amounts vary depending on your marital status, living arrangement, and income. CAPI payment standards are equivalent to the payment standards for SSI/SSP.
  • If approved, you will be asked to complete a redetermination of your CAPI benefits every 12 months or if any changes occur such as if you move, your income changes, or if new people join your household. It is very important to report all changes to your local county social services office within 10 days.
  • If you disagree with the county’s decision regarding your eligibility for CAPI or the benefit amount, you will be provided with instructions on how to file an appeal.

How to Apply:

You may apply by completing an application (SOC 814) in person, by phone, email, fax, or mail at your county social services agency. If you wish to find out more about CAPI, please contact your county social services agency.

In addition to English, the CAPI application (SOC 814) is also available in the following languages: Spanish, Armenian and Chinese.

Golden State Grant (GSG) Payments

Recent California legislation authorized a one-time payment of $600 to CAPI recipients to provide relief from hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Payments were automatically mailed out in 2021. For additional information on the GSG please see the following link: GSG for SSI/SSP and CAPI Recipients Webpage