Same-Day Service

The following business process outlines the same‑day service procedures for receiving, prioritizing, and assigning applications to ensure timely and efficient service delivery to clients. Same‑day service means all applications received are registered (app reg’d) and assigned on the same business day the application is received, with the goal of offering applicants same-day contact.

How an application is received will determine how the application is assigned.

  • Walk-in applications received prior to 2 p.m. will be offered a same-day face-to-face (F2F) appointment, and if accepted, they will be assigned to a Social Services Benefit Specialist (SSBS).
  • Walk-in applications received after 2 p.m. will be assigned to an SSBS to be scheduled for a future intake appointment per program policy regulations, including immediate need and expedited services (IN/ES) time frames as determined by the assigned SSBS.
  • Applications identified as urgent, such as homeless clients, will be assigned same-day up to 5 p.m. and assigned to an SSBS.
  • All other application submissions will be assigned to an SSBS to be scheduled per program policy regulations, including IN/ES time frames as determined by the assigned SSBS.

    • Note: All other application submissions include e-applications, the office drop box, regular USPS mail, phone, or fax.

The table below provides additional information on the process above.

 

Step Who Action
1 Designated Clerical Staff

Determines the type of application (CW/CF/MC, CF/MC, or MC only).

If the application is... Then...

Received in person before 2 p.m.,
  • Asks client to complete the Identification Intake Record (SCD 41), which must include all household members living at the same address.

    • Note: For CalWORKs, if both parents are in the home, they both must be available.

  • Offers the client a same-day interview with an SSBS.

    • Important: Any application received before 2 p.m. and requesting a same-day face-to-face (F2F) appointment will be assigned for same-day service. Designated App Reg staff needs at least ½ hour to complete the application registration process.

 

If the client... Then...
Accepts the same-day appointment.
  • Informs the client to wait in the lobby to be seen by the next available SSBS.
  • Writes on the SCD 41 that the client is waiting for a same-day F2F appointment. 
  • Forwards the application to the Application Registration team to be assigned to the next available SSBS for same-day appointment. 
Declines a same-day appointment,
  • Forwards the application to the Application Registration team to be assigned to the next available SSBS who will contact the client and schedule a future appointment.

 
Received in person after 2p.m.,
  • Informs the client that there are no same-day appointments available and forwards the application to the Application Registration team to be assigned to the next available SSBS who will contact the client to schedule a future appointment.

    • Exception: Same-day services must be offered to Homeless Assistance applicants until 5pm and do not fall under any cutoff.

 

All other applications retrieved from e-applications, the office drop box, regular USPS mail, phone, or fax,

 

 

  • Follow district office procedures and date-stamp the application as applicable. 
  • Forwards the application to the Application Registration team.  

 
2 Application Registration Team and Assignment Team
  • Receives the request for case Application Registration and Case Assignment.
  • Completes the application registration. 

    • Important: Applications must be app red'g immediately upon receipt to maintain timely assignment.

  • Assigns case to SSBS. 
  • Ensures that when a client is waiting in the lobby for a same‑day F2F appointment, both the SSBS and the Supervisor are notified of the case assignment per district office procedures.

 
3 SSBS

Receives the case assignment and determines assignment type:

Assignment Action

 

Same-day F2F appointment.

 
  • Acknowledges notification from the clerical team of same-day case assignment.
  • Processes Intake Interactive Interview with the client.

All other, non F2F applications. 
  • For CW and CF, screen for IN/ES. 
  • Contacts the client to schedule an Intake Interview appointment within processing time frames for CalWORKs and CalFresh, if applicable.