Monterey County MC-CHOICE Outreach: Free Help With Medi-Cal Enrollment in Soledad and Salinas

SOLEDAD, Calif. — Monterey County families looking for help applying for Medi-Cal or keeping existing health coverage can find in-person support through the county’s MC-CHOICE outreach program.

MC-CHOICE stands for Monterey County Children’s Health Outreach for Insurance, Care and Enrollment. According to the county, staff help families enroll children in Medi-Cal, complete renewals, get referrals to other agencies and apply for CalFresh or CalWORKs. Staff can also provide general information and referrals related to Covered California. These services are enrollment assistance, not a promise of eligibility or approval.

Where outreach is scheduled

Soledad: Soledad WIC, 355 Gabilan Drive. The county’s outreach calendar lists Tuesday sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including November 3, 10 and 17, 2026.
Salinas: WIC office, 632 E. Alisal Street. Wednesday sessions are listed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including October 28 and November 4, 2026.
Watsonville: La Manzana Community Resource Center, 521 Main St., Suite Y. Thursday outreach is listed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including October 29 and November 5. This location is in Santa Cruz County, although the outreach program serves Monterey County families.

Check the live schedule before traveling. Appointments, holiday operations and individual services available at an outreach session should be confirmed with the program.

Applying without visiting an outreach event

The county points residents to BenefitsCal for online benefit applications and lists 1-866-361-0477 as a telephone application option. MC-CHOICE can help residents understand the process but does not determine federal or state eligibility rules.

For a separate update on food-benefit requirements, see California58’s guide to the Monterey County CalFresh ABAWD waiver through October 2027.

Official sources: MC-CHOICE program homepage; county explanation of outreach services; current outreach calendar.

Published October 27, 2026. Session information can change; confirm directly with the county.

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