State Directory: Public Assistance and Welfare Information

By Natalie Moritz | Legally reviewed by Rhonda Earhart, Esq. | Last reviewed December 09, 2024

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Public assistance programs supporting children provide low-income families with resources to live and thrive. While the primary responsibility for financial support lies with the non-custodial parent (child support), welfare programs provide help when child support alone isn’t sufficient. Further, not all parents receive child support—making these programs even more crucial for some families.

This page details public assistance and welfare programs in the U.S. It also discusses how child support interacts with these programs, specifically in eligibility and the level of assistance provided. At the end of the article, you’ll find a directory of state public assistance agencies.

Keep reading to learn more about:

  • Some of the state and federal assistance programs available for low-income families
  • The role child support plays in public assistance eligibility
  • How states administer public assistance benefits to families
  • And more

The Child Support Program in America

The child support program helps parents ensure their children get financial support. When one parent doesn't live with the child (non-custodial parent), they may have a child support obligation. This means they must pay money to the other parent to help support and care for the child. A court order will decide the amount of child support.

Sometimes, the non-custodial parent might not pay what they owe. When this happens, the child support agency can step in to help in the child support case. Child support agencies are usually a division of a jurisdiction’s Department of Human Services (DHS) or equivalent public department.

Child support agencies employ various methods to make sure payments happen:

  • Locate a non-custodial parent
  • Set up child support collection
  • Collect money directly from a non-custodial parent’s paychecks (income withholding)

Child Support Enforcement

The child support agency may use enforcement actions if a non-custodial parent doesn’t meet their child support obligations. Past-due child support payments are called arrears. Federal law permits child support agencies to use various methods to collect past-due support, including:

  • Garnishment, or taking money directly from employment wages, bank accounts, or tax returns
  • Personal property seizure
  • Driver’s license suspension
  • Occupation or recreational license suspension (like a fishing or hunting license)

The agency can also use the parent's income and assets to decide how much they should pay.

Child support agencies cannot garnish Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments to collect child support.

What If I Don’t Receive Child Support?

Receiving child support payments does not disqualify a parent from receiving public assistance benefits. But, welfare agencies count child support income towards the household income. This means that a parent may still be eligible for public assistance programs if their household income (including child support) is below the guideline for their family size.

This can occur when a parent receives very little in child support, or if payments are sporadic.

It’s also important to note that programs have varying income limits. For example, TANF (cash assistance) has a very low income limit. The income limit for SNAP (food benefits) is higher. The income limit for child care programs is often even higher than SNAP’s limit.

This means a parent receiving child support income may be eligible for child care assistance but not food or cash assistance. Or, they may be eligible for both child care and food help, but not cash.

Conversely, a parent who does not receive any child support income may still be ineligible for public assistance programs. Again, this is due to income limits. A parent’s earned income (employment wages) and any other unearned income (like unemployment insurance or social security) may put their household income above the eligibility guideline for a program.

This is more likely to happen if there are two adult earners in the household. Suppose a parent does not receive child support for her minor child. But they are married and their spouse is not the other child’s legal parent. Because they are married, both their incomes are counted towards the total household income.

See FindLaw’s Child Support Laws section for more information and FAQ.

Cooperation with Child Support Enforcement

Some assistance programs require parents to cooperate with child support enforcement. This means that even if a parent does not receive child support, they still must cooperate with the child support agency by providing information about the non-custodial parent, including:

  • Contact details
  • Employment information
  • Other relevant information that may help the agency locate the parent and attempt to enforce a child support order

Failure to cooperate may result in a reduction or loss of benefits. If a parent lies to the child support agency, the agency may initiate a fraud investigation. If this happens, the parent may have to pay back benefits for which they were not eligible.

There are “good cause” exemptions for cooperating with child support enforcement, like in cases of domestic violence.

Public Benefits Eligibility

To get help, families must meet certain rules and show they're eligible. This usually includes meeting income and residence requirements and showing a birth certificate or proving parentage. Parentage means showing who the child's parents are.

Most programs also require that an applicant is a U.S. citizen or a qualifying non-citizen.

Rules and eligibility guidelines vary by program. Some programs that serve families and children include:

  • Cash assistance
  • Child care assistance
  • Emergency financial assistance
  • Food assistance or food stamps
  • Healthcare and medical assistance
  • Housing programs

Cash Assistance: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The federal government's primary cash assistance program is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Each state has its own individual cash assistance program. For example, the California version of TANF is California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs). Minnesota’s version of TANF is Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP).

The goal is TANF is to help low-income parents achieve self-sufficiency through living-wage employment. Families using TANF may be eligible for support services to help with this goal, like child care assistance and job training.

TANF benefits have a federal lifetime limit of 60 months (five years). But, there are extensions to this time limit that families can apply for.

Eligible families must meet other criteria, including:

  • Income requirements, which vary by state and family size
  • Have a dependent child in their household or be pregnant
  • Participation in an employment services program or work-related activities (with some exceptions)

Health Care and Medical Assistance

Healthcare is crucial for children and parents alike. Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offer health insurance to eligible low-income families and children. States may use different names for these programs. For example, Arizona’s Medicaid program is called Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. It’s CHIP program is called KidsCare.

States may also offer prescription medication discounts.

Along with child support payments, a parent might also need to provide medical support. This can be in the form of health insurance or direct payments for medical needs.

The child support program can make sure the non-custodial parent pays this medical support. If the non-custodial parent has health insurance, it may cover the child. If not, the child might get Medicaid or other public benefits. Parents need to know the terms of their child support order, as it might include this medical support.

Food Assistance

The  Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that helps eligible individuals and families buy food.

Some mothers may also be eligible for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This is a short-term program that provides education and vouchers for nutritional food to eligible pregnant women, new mothers, and children up to age five.

Both SNAP and WIC are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service division.

Use the USDA National Hunger Hotline for more information on food assistance.

Housing Assistance

Housing assistance and subsidies include:

  • Public housing or project-based housing vouchers
  • Shelters and programs serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness
  • Eviction protections
  • Foreclosure prevention programs
  • Rental assistance (often used to pay past-due rent or damage deposits)

Housing assistance programs can be funded publicly through local or state governments. Others are funded by non-profit or community organizations.

How Are Public Assistance Benefits Administered?

It varies by jurisdiction, but most states and counties distribute public assistance benefits electronically, including direct deposit or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT card). An EBT card is like a prepaid debit card.

Some agencies may still offer paper checks, but this is less common due to efficiency and security concerns.

State Public Assistance Information and Agencies

Federal public assistance programs provide funding to states to assist low-income families and children. Each state designs its own program using these funds within federal guidelines. These welfare programs are then managed and administered at state and county levels.

At the state level, a state agency or department runs public assistance programs. They can have various names, such as:

  • Human Services
  • Social Services
  • Health and Welfare
  • Health and Human Services

The directory below links to each state’s public assistance and welfare programs.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Need More Help With Public Assistance or Child Support? An Attorney Can Help

Making ends meet is difficult for single parents, so it's good to know public services are available for those in need. Depending on your situation, you may need some help navigating child support and public assistance laws. Learn more by speaking with a child support attorney near you.

Some attorneys and legal clinics operate on a sliding scale or provide pro bono (free) legal services.

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Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?

  • Some states allow you to set up child support with forms and court processes
  • You may need legal help to set up or modify child support arrangements
  • If there is conflict, an attorney can advise if the other parent’s actions are legal 

Get tailored advice about paying or receiving child support. Many attorneys offer free consultations.

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Don't Forget About Estate Planning

Once new child support arrangements are in place, it’s an ideal time to create or change your estate planning forms. Take the time to add new beneficiaries to your will and name a guardian for any minor children. Consider creating a financial power of attorney so your agent can pay bills and make sure your children are provided for. A health care directive explains your health care decisions and takes the decision-making burden off your children when they become adults.

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