Form CW 2219 California: The Simplified CalWORKs Application for Non-Needy Caretakers

Why CW 2219 Exists

The standard CalWORKs application (Form SAWS 1 or the CW 2200) is a lengthy multi-page document designed for families where the adult applicant is also requesting aid. For a grandparent or aunt who simply needs cash aid for the child — not for themselves — most of that paperwork is irrelevant.

Form CW 2219 is the California Department of Social Services' simplified application specifically built for non-needy caretaker relatives with relative foster children. It is three pages instead of thirty. It asks only for information about the child, the care arrangement, and the child's own income.

You can download CW 2219 directly from the CDSS website (cdss.ca.gov) or pick it up at any county welfare office. It is a free, public-domain state form.

Who Should Use This Form

CW 2219 is the correct form when:

• You are a relative within the fifth degree of kinship (grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, first cousin, or first cousin once removed)
• The child lives in your home
• You are applying for CalWORKs cash aid on behalf of the child only — not requesting aid for yourself
• You want to be classified as a non-needy caretaker, so your personal income and assets stay out of the equation

If you are also applying for aid for yourself (because your own income is low enough to qualify), you would use the standard CalWORKs application instead and be included in the Assistance Unit.

What the Form Asks For

The form collects:

• Child's identifying information — full name, date of birth, Social Security number
• Care arrangement — how the child came to live with you and whether there is a court order, voluntary placement agreement, or informal arrangement
• Child's income — any money the child receives directly, including child support, survivor benefits, SSI, or trust income
• Caretaker's relationship — your name and how you are related to the child

The form does not ask for your income, your bank account balances, or your employment history. That is the entire point of the non-needy track.

Documents to Bring When You File

Along with the completed CW 2219, bring:

• The child's birth certificate (if available — a sworn affidavit using Form GEN 853 works if the certificate is missing)
• The child's Social Security card or proof you have applied for one
• Proof the child lives with you — any of these work: school enrollment record, medical visit record, mail addressed to the child at your home, or a simple self-attestation
• Documentation of any income the child receives

If you are filing at a county office, also bring your own photo ID. The county needs to verify that you are who you say you are, even though your finances are not evaluated.

Where and How to File

You have three options:

1. In person at your county welfare office — bring the completed form and supporting documents
2. Online through BenefitsCal.com — the state's centralized benefits portal lets you start a CalWORKs application digitally
3. By mail or fax — you can mail or fax the completed form to your county welfare office

Filing in person has one advantage: you can ask the intake worker to confirm on the spot that you are being processed under the non-needy caretaker track. If they start asking for your income documentation, you can immediately clarify the CW 2219 pathway.

What Happens After Filing

The county has 45 calendar days to process your application and issue a decision. During that window, a caseworker may contact you to verify the child's information or request additional documentation about the child's own income.

If you also apply for CalFresh at the same time and your household meets expedited processing criteria (gross monthly income under $150 and liquid resources $100 or less, or combined shelter and utility costs exceeding gross income and liquid resources), you can receive CalFresh benefits within three calendar days.

After approval, you will receive monthly payments on an EBT card. The grant amount equals the Maximum Aid Payment for your region and the number of aided children, minus any countable income the child receives.

Companion Form: CW 2218

When you file CW 2219, the county should also provide Form CW 2218 (Rights and Responsibilities). This form explicitly outlines what CalWORKs requires from non-needy caretakers versus needy applicants. Keep a copy. If a caseworker later asks for personal financial information that is not required under the non-needy track, CW 2218 is your reference document.

For a complete walkthrough of the CW 2219 filing process, including what to do if your application is denied, see the California Kinship Financial Help Guide.

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