Senior benefits in Sacramento County, California

Every California county is served by an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and an Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) — a single point of contact that connects older adults, caregivers, and people with disabilities in Sacramento County to in-home supportive services, home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation, family-caregiver support, benefits and insurance counseling (HICAP), and California's Medi-Cal home- and community-based long-term-care programs. Services are for adults 60 and older, with priority for those in greatest need. Call the Sacramento County Area Agency on Aging directly at 1-800-211-4545, or reach the statewide Aging & Disability Resource Connection at 1-800-510-2020 to be connected to local services.

$500–$6,000/yr

California's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps income-eligible households pay home heating and cooling bills, with one-time crisis help when service is past due or shut off. It is funded federally and run statewide by the California Department of Community Services & Development (CSD). In Sacramento County it is delivered by the local CSD-contracted service provider; find yours with the CSD 'Find Services in Your Area' locator or the online application portal. Households generally qualify at or below 60% of the state median income; older adults and people with disabilities are prioritized. Payments usually go straight to the utility company. Apply online at CaLIHEAPApply or through your local provider.

$94–$1,500/yr

Hospitals serving Sacramento County — including Sacramento's hospitals, including UC Davis Medical Center, Dignity Health, Sutter, and Kaiser Permanente — must provide financial assistance under California's Hospital Fair Pricing Act. Uninsured patients (and insured patients with high medical costs) with household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for charity care or discounted payment; many nonprofit systems give fully free care at lower income levels (for example, Dignity Health provides free care up to 250% of the poverty level). Eligible patients are never charged more than the amounts generally billed to insured patients. Ask any hospital's financial-counseling or billing office for its Financial Assistance Policy and application; the state's HCAI publishes every hospital's policy.

$500–$20,000/yr

The SHRA Home Repair Program (HRP) provides emergency home-repair grants to very low-income owner-occupants of single-family homes or mobile homes whose home has an immediate safety or health hazard, a dangerous or hazardous condition, or a fire or health code violation. The per-property and per-client maximum is $10,000; SHRA hires and pays the contractors. The program serves the City of Sacramento, the cities of Galt, Folsom, and Isleton, and unincorporated Sacramento County — it does NOT cover Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, or some parts of Elk Grove. Applications are accepted only during open windows (about June 1–August 31 and November 1–February 28); apply by calling 916-440-1317. A separate Safe at Home Program (in partnership with Rebuilding Together, 916-455-1880) provides minor accessibility modifications such as ramps and handrails.

$1,000–$10,000/yr

In this county: This program has conditions this check cannot confirm for you: you must be a very low-income owner-occupant of a single-family home or mobile home, the home must be in an eligible area (City of Sacramento, Galt, Folsom, Isleton, or unincorporated Sacramento County — not Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, or some parts of Elk Grove), and the repair must address an immediate safety/health hazard or code violation. Applications are accepted only during open windows (about June 1–August 31 and November 1–February 28). Confirm eligibility and the current window by calling 1-916-440-1317.

Sacramento County General Assistance (GA) is a county-administered cash-aid program for indigent adults 18 and older with no means of support. For a low-income senior it is mainly a bridge while a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) claim is pending. You must be physically present in Sacramento County, a Sacramento County resident for at least 15 days, and intend to continue residing in the County. Individuals deemed employable receive GA for up to 90 days in a 12-month period; individuals determined unemployable due to a temporary or long-term disability may receive GA until the disability is resolved. Apply by phone at 1-800-560-0976 (Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM), online via the State's SAWS 1 application, or in person at 2450 Florin Road, Sacramento (Mon–Fri 7:45 AM–4:00 PM).

In this county: Sacramento GA has conditions this check cannot confirm for you: you must have at least 15 days of physical presence in Sacramento County, intent to continue residing there, no other means of support, and — if determined employable — you can only receive GA for up to 90 days in any 12-month period. The County publishes the exact grant amount and resource limits only in its GA Fact Sheet PDF, not on its public web page; confirm those and apply by calling 1-800-560-0976 or in person at 2450 Florin Road, Sacramento.

SacRT GO is Sacramento Regional Transit's federally mandated ADA complementary paratransit service for riders whose disability prevents them from using fixed-route bus or light-rail service. Eligibility is functional and yields one of three determinations: Unconditional (permanently unable to use fixed route for any trip), Conditional (unable only under certain circumstances; service is limited trip-by-trip), or Temporary. Service covers locations within three-quarters of a mile of SacRT's bus routes or light-rail stations, including Antelope, Elverta, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Folsom, North Highlands, Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, Rio Linda, Sacramento, and unincorporated Sacramento County, with E-van service extending to Elk Grove. The application has three parts: a professional verification form from a physician, the applicant's responses, and signatures. Eligibility is determined within 21 days of completing your interview and any functional assessment.

$1,500–$4,000/yr

In this county: ADA paratransit eligibility is functional and is determined within 21 days of an interview and possible functional assessment, after a physician completes the professional verification form — this check cannot perform that evaluation. The service area is limited to within three-quarters of a mile of a SacRT bus route or light-rail station (with E-van service extending to Elk Grove). Begin the application by calling 1-916-557-4685 (TDD 1-916-557-4686).

Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) charges a Senior Discount fare to riders 62 and older on bus and light-rail service throughout the Sacramento region. Show proof of age — senior ID, driver's license, or passport — to qualify. A separate Super Senior sticker is available to riders 75 and older, and Super Seniors with a Lifetime Pass ride completely free. Discount monthly stickers must be affixed to a valid SacRT Photo ID card, available only at the SacRT Sales Center (1225 R Street, Sacramento; Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM, adjacent to 13th Street Station). Veterans, seniors, and Medicare cardholders can also access discounts via the Tap2Ride contactless-payment program after pre-registration.

$150–$600/yr