Best resources/sources avail in CA for help in starting my own business?

I live in CALIFORNIA and I am a single mother of 2 and unemployed receiving state aid are there any programs I qualify for in which the government will help me to help cover any start up costs for starting my own business. I am state cert for med tg and previously had cert for mage therapy but need to redo as it has expired so I also need help covering costs for schooling. I would like to start my own Mage therapy business and just dont know where to start looking for this type of istance as prior to the last 4/5yrs I was steadily employed and have experience only in customer service-(utilities) so I am finding that my absence from this type of employment for a little over 4 years is making it difficult to get emplymnt that will come close to my payscale. I also am hvg very hard time finding employment in medical field due to no prev exp despite my certifcation. I wld really prefer not to go bck into my field of expertise but will if I cant start my own bus HELP!??