Raising a grandchild, a niece or nephew, or a friend's child?
Most relatives raising a child never hear that the child can get a monthly payment no matter what the caregiver earns, health coverage on the child's own income, and a seat in the local school without a court order. Here is what applies where you live, with the official page each rule comes from and who to call nearby.
We are not lawyers or caseworkers, and rules change. Every item above links to the official page it came from and says when we last checked it. If a program turned you down and you think the rule says otherwise, a legal aid office can look at the letter for free.
Offices and programs in your county
Pulled from our directory: legal aid, the family support office, the health department and clinics, child care help, and counseling. Call before you go.
Two things that help right away
Things the child needs
Neighbors on the Family Barter System give away beds, clothes, strollers, and school supplies, county by county. A bed for a child who arrived with a trash bag is the most common first need.
Do not lose what you get
Child-only cash and the child's Medicaid renew on a schedule, and most families lose them at renewal, not application. We email you before each date with the papers to gather.