Our researchers have completed the random selection process and our TAYportunity Liaisons have completed the onboarding process. If you have not been contacted by a TAYportunity Liaison, or you were contacted but did not respond, you were not selected for the program. For this program, only 300 randomly selected Skills and Training to Achieve Readiness for Tomorrow (START) Transition Age Youth (TAY) ages 18-24 years old were selected. The randomly selected recipients will receive:
1. A monthly GI issuance of $1,000;
2. Supplemental food assistance, should CalFresh benefits be adversely affected; and
3. Exemptions from having to meet General Relief income, resource, and time limit requirements.
The randomly selected recipients will be offered:
1. Benefits counseling services, financial literacy, and money management support; and
2. The opportunity to participate in the TAYportunity program.
The TAYportunity Guaranteed Income (GI) program is also an independent research project that will be used to study the effects of guaranteed income to learn about the project’s impact on financial stability. We are working with researchers at the Jain Family Institute, the University of Virginia, and New York University to ensure that they can study your experiences with us effectively and understand the needs of the TAY population. Our researcher may reach out to you in a few weeks with more information about this research study.
We thank you for your continued participation in our Skills and Training to Achieve Readiness for Tomorrow (START) Program, and we are excited to continue working with you! Please contact your START Worker to discuss your next START activity.
Please Note: L.A. County will NEVER ask you to provide information over the phone, like an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), bank account information, or passwords. DO NOT GIVE OUT THIS INFORMATION TO ANYONE REQUESTING IT. If you receive a call claiming to be from L.A. County or one of its programs requesting such information, do not give out this information and report it to DPSS by calling (562) 908-6732.
TAYportunity is a special employment program for Transition Age Youth selected for the TAYportunity GI Program and looking for work. The purpose of TAYportunity is to help you explore new career opportunities in the areas of employment, apprenticeship training, or entrepreneurship and offers access to career readiness training and motivational training courses.
How will I know if I’ve been selected as a participant?
A Skills and Training to Achieve Readiness for Tomorrow (START) TAYportunity Liaison will contact the selected applicants using the contact information provided on the application. It is highly encouraged that you provide current and accurate contact information.
Will I hear from someone if I wasn’t chosen?
An email will be sent to those applicants who are not selected. Additionally, DPSS will update this webpage once all notifications have been completed.
Who will I be engaging with if I am selected to participate?
A START TAYportunity Liaison will contact you if you are selected to participate. The START TAYportunity Liaison will:
1. Ask if you are interested in receiving GI and explain the program.
2. Ask if you are interested in receiving benefits counseling to receive information on the potential impact of GI on benefits outside of General Relief (GR).
3. Give you information on financial literacy workshops that are available to you.
If you would like benefits counseling, the benefits counselor will:
1. Send you a link thru Doodle, a free, web-based scheduling tool that will be used to schedule your upcoming Benefits Counseling session.
The financial literacy counselor will:
1. Reach out to you to ask if you are interested in attending financial literacy workshops. After an initial one-on-one assessment to identify your financial goals, you will be offered monthly workshops that will teach you how to budget, open bank accounts, build savings, invest, purchase property, increase your credit score, and help you make responsible spending decisions.
If selected, how will I receive my Guaranteed Income allotments?
GI payments will be issued via your Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card without interruption for the 36-month duration unless you meet one of the following reasons that would cause your GI payments to be terminated:
1. Become incarcerated
2. Become potentially eligible for the CalWORKs program
3. Leave L.A. County or the State of California
4. Become Approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
5. Request to no longer receive GI
6. Have passed away
Will my public benefits be affected by participating?
Your GR benefits will not be affected. However, some benefits outside of GR may be affected while others will not be affected at all. Before accepting to receive the monthly GI, those selected will have an opportunity to talk to a benefits counselor to learn how the monthly GI could impact other benefits.
What should I do if my information changes?
If your contact information changes, please e-mail us at: GuaranteedIncome@dpss.lacounty.gov with TAYportunity GI question in the subject line, and “ONLY” your name and telephone number in the body. We will contact you. DPSS will authenticate you and will not respond to e-mails that contain more than your name and phone number.
