Senior benefits in Kern 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 Kern 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 Kern County Area Agency on Aging directly at 661-868-1000, or reach the statewide Aging & Disability Resource Connection at 1-800-510-2020 to be connected to local services.

Estimated service value: $500–$6,000 a year

In this county: The Area Agency on Aging / ADRC is the entry point to Older Americans Act and California state aging services for adults 60+. Specific services depend on an individual needs assessment and local funding, so this shows as a may-qualify result. Call 661-868-1000 to reach your county's AAA (statewide locator line: 1-800-510-2020).

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 Kern 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.

Estimated bill savings: $94–$1,500 a year

Hospitals serving Kern County — including Kern Medical (county), Dignity Health (Memorial and Mercy Bakersfield), and Adventist Health Bakersfield — 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.

Estimated bill savings: $500–$20,000 a year

Kern County General Assistance (GA) provides minimal financial assistance to residents of Kern County who have no other means of support. Single adults and couples without minor children may be eligible. The program can help with rent, utilities, transportation, and personal needs. If you have a long-term disability, you may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) — Kern County DHS runs a Disability Advocate program to help GA applicants with the SSI process. GA applicants may also qualify for CalFresh and/or Medi-Cal. Apply Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. by one of the following methods: in person at any Kern County DHS office in Bakersfield or districts; by phone via the public line at (661) 631-6000 or the CAT line at (877) 410-8812; by mail to Kern County DHS P.O. Box 511, Bakersfield, CA 93302 (or any district office); or by fax at (661) 631-6573.

In this county: Kern County GA has conditions this check cannot confirm for you: you must be a Kern County resident with no other means of support, and you must not be eligible for other categorical aid (such as SSI/SSDI or CalWORKs). The KCDHS GA page does not publish a maximum monthly grant amount; the County determines your specific amount during application. Apply in person at a KCDHS office or by calling 1-661-631-6000.

GET-A-LIFT is the ADA complementary paratransit service operated by Golden Empire Transit District for the Bakersfield / metro Kern County area. Eligibility is functional rather than age-based: you qualify if your disability prevents you from boarding, riding, or disembarking a fixed-route GET bus, from navigating the system, or because the route you need is not lift-equipped. To apply, download the Paratransit Application from the GET website, pick one up at the District office (1830 Golden State Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301), or call 1-661-869-2438 to have one mailed to you. Have the doctor's assessment section completed, then deliver the finished application to GET; eligibility is determined within 21 days and approved riders receive an ID card by mail. Applications are reviewed under the three ADA eligibility categories (unconditional, temporary, conditional). Trip reservations after certification can be scheduled by calling 1-661-869-2GET (2438) between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., seven days a week.

In this county: GET-A-LIFT eligibility is functional — based on whether your disability prevents you from boarding, riding, or disembarking from a fixed-route GET bus, navigating the system, or using a route that isn't wheelchair-lift-equipped — and requires both a completed application and an in-person functional assessment, with a determination within 21 days. This check cannot perform that assessment. Start by downloading the application or visiting the GET District office at 1830 Golden State Avenue, Bakersfield, then call 1-661-869-2438 to schedule the assessment.

Golden Empire Transit (GET) is the public bus system serving Bakersfield and metro Kern County. Riders 65 and older — and riders with a certified disability — qualify for a discounted Reduced Fare. To pay the Reduced Fare you must present a valid GET Senior ID card, a California DMV ID card, a Medicare card, or a GET Reduced Fare ID card. To obtain a GET Senior or Special Rider ID card, call 1-661-324-9874 or visit the GET District office at 1830 Golden State Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301.

Estimated service value: $200–$500 a year