Institutional Residents

Definitions [63-402.4]

An individual is considered a resident of an institution when the institution provides them with the majority of meals as part of the institution's normal services. Residents of institutions are not eligible for CalFresh unless listed in the section below, Eligibility.

Eligibility [63-402.4]

The following residents of an institution are eligible for CalFresh as a separate household.

  • Residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly.
  • Individuals struggling with a substance use disorder who:
    • Participate in a drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation program, and
    • Live at the treatment center.
      • If the individual, struggling with a substance use disorder, has children in the same CalFresh household when they also live at the treatment center and are provided with meals by the center.
      • Any other family members of the individual struggling with a substance use disorder, including the spouse, is ineligible for CalFresh when living at the center and provided with meals. If, however, the treatment center does not provide meals to these family members living there, they may be eligible for CalFresh as a separate household from the individual struggling with a substance use disorder. Refer to HH Composition.
  • Disabled/blind Social Security recipients in a group living arrangement (a public or private nonprofit residential setting with 16 residents or less).
  • A man or woman alone, or a man or woman with children temporarily residing in a shelter for battered persons that provides meals.
  • Homeless Shelter residents (public or private nonprofit).
  • Children of jail/prison inmates participating in a program (such as the one run by the Volunteers of America at Brandon House) if their parent buys and prepares food separately for their child(ren).
  • The inmate parent does not qualify for CalFresh because he or she is still considered a resident of an institution (jail/prison) even though he or she is residing at Brandon House.

Note: Residents of an institution not mentioned above may be eligible for CalFresh, if the client has special diet needs for which the institution cannot accommodate verification from the institution as well as a doctor’s note is required.