New social services office for Riverside County

The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services will open an office in Coachella.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the office, located at 1283 Sixth St., according to a statement.

Individuals and families in need may get cash assistance, medical insurance, food, job placement job skills training at the full-service office. The facility is expected to serve more than 50,000 people a year from Coachella and surrounding communities, including Desert Center, Eagle Mountain, Hayfield, Salton Sea and Desert Shores.

“Our programs serve and support individuals and families to achieve and sustain their health, well-being, and economic independence,” said Sayori Baldwin, the department’s managing director, in the statement. “By opening this facility, we will make access to essential services and benefits much easier for our communities to obtain in the Coachella Valley.”

The office is scheduled to open to the public by early July. It will handle Medi-Cal, CalFresh, General Assistance, CalWORKs, Child Care and Welfare to Work, according to the statement.