Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Texas: Kinship Care, TANF, and Support

Last updated: 7 April 2026

Bottom line: Texas does not have one broad monthly stipend for every grandparent or older relative raising a child. The real Texas paths are usually child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Medicaid or CHIP through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), or kinship payments through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) if the child is in state conservatorship. Your first job is to find out whether the child is in DFPS custody, because that changes cash help, health coverage, school paperwork, and whether foster or kinship payments are even possible.

Emergency help now

• If the child is unsafe right now: call 9-1-1 or make a report to the DFPS abuse hotline at 1-800-252-5400.
• If you need food, cash, or medical coverage this week: apply through Your Texas Benefits or call 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905.
• If a school or doctor says you lack authority: get any written parent consent you can today, then use the Texas Education Agency guidance for nonparent relatives and get legal help if the placement will last.

Quick help

Best first steps after a grandparent takes in a child

Take these steps in this order:

• Find out whether the child is in DFPS conservatorship. Ask the caseworker, the parent, or the court paperwork. This single fact changes what money and legal tools exist.
• Get control of paperwork fast. Gather the child’s birth certificate, Social Security number, school records, insurance cards, medicines, and any court or DFPS papers.
• File for benefits the same week. Use Your Texas Benefits, call 2-1-1, or ask for paper Form H1010.
• Handle school and medical authority in parallel. If the parent will cooperate, sign a written consent and look at the Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative.
• Ask for the right Texas worker. Informal care goes through HHSC and the school district. A CPS placement goes through DFPS, and often a local Community-Based Care contractor or child-placing agency.

What this help looks like in Texas

Texas is split into different systems. HHSC handles TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP. DFPS handles child-welfare kinship placements, kinship payments, foster-home verification, and Permanency Care Assistance. Schools, county courts, the Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and local housing providers add more layers. That is why many older adults feel like nobody has the whole answer.

Texas uses kinship care heavily. In its Fiscal Year 2025 Relative and Other Designated Caregiver report, DFPS said 7,139 children were in kinship placement as of May 31, 2025, and 42.8% of children in care were with relatives or fictive kin, meaning close family-like adults.

Situation	What it usually means in Texas	Start here first	Why it matters
Child moved in informally	No DFPS custody and no foster payments	Your Texas Benefits, school district, and possibly Chapter 34 paperwork	This is the most common path for child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP
Child was placed by Child Protective Services (CPS)	Child is in DFPS conservatorship	DFPS kinship staff and your local Community-Based Care contractor or child-placing agency	This opens DFPS kinship payments, STAR Health, and possible foster-home verification
You need long-term legal authority	Texas family courts usually call this conservatorship	TexasLawHelp, the Texas State Law Library guide, county court, or legal aid	School, medical, child support, and travel issues are easier with a court order
You need rent or utility help	Help is local, not one statewide grandparent grant	TDHCA Help for Texans and 2-1-1 Texas	County and city provider rules vary, and funds can run out

Quick facts:

• Best immediate takeaway: ask whether the child is in DFPS custody.
• One major rule: HHSC says grandparents do not need custody or guardianship just to apply for benefits if the child is related and living with them.
• One realistic obstacle: Texas offices often ask for proof older adults do not have yet, and some online search results still show outdated rates or closed programs.
• One useful fact: the Texas Education Agency says a public school cannot block enrollment just because you do not have a Chapter 34 authorization agreement.
• Best next step: gather ID, proof of relationship, the child’s basic records, rent and utility proof, and any court or DFPS papers before you call or apply.

Who qualifies in plain language

You may have a workable Texas path if all or most of these are true:

• You are raising a grandchild or another related child in your Texas home.
• The child is living with you because a parent cannot safely or reliably care for the child.
• You are related by blood, marriage, or adoption for HHSC relative-benefit programs.
• You want help for the child only, or you understand that applying for yourself and the child can trigger more income, resource, work, and child-support rules.
• If you want DFPS kinship money, the child is in the temporary or permanent conservatorship of the State of Texas.

Important: a grandparent can be eligible for child-only TANF and Medicaid for the child even if the grandparent would not qualify for cash help for themselves. On the other hand, a grandparent caring informally for a child outside DFPS cannot receive foster care payments just because the child lives with them.

Legal custody vs kinship care vs informal caregiving

Informal caregiving: the child lives with you, but there is no court order and no DFPS custody. This is often the quickest start, but it creates the most school, medical, and travel problems.

Kinship care in a DFPS case: the child is placed with you while DFPS keeps legal control. This is where Texas kinship payments, STAR Health, and possible foster-home verification usually come in.

Conservatorship: in Texas, long-term child custody is usually called managing conservatorship. That is often more useful than informal papers if you expect the placement to last. A short-term Chapter 34 Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative can help with school and medical decisions, but it is not the same as a court order.

Financial help for grandparents raising grandchildren in Texas

Texas cash help is layered. HHSC runs TANF. DFPS runs child-welfare kinship money. Those are different programs with different rules.

Texas option	Main help	Key Texas rule
Child-only TANF	The latest public HHSC bulletin available when this guide was updated lists a maximum of $126 a month for a one-child non-caretaker case effective 1 October 2024	The grandparent’s own income and resources are usually not reviewed, but the child’s own income is
One-Time TANF for Relatives	The Texas Works Handbook allows a $1,000 once-in-a-lifetime payment	Relative must be 25 or older, the child must be TANF-certified, and household income and resources must fit the special rule
Relative and Other Designated Caregiver payment	DFPS reported a rate of $23.45 per day per eligible child beginning 1 January 2025	Only for eligible kinship caregivers in a DFPS case
Post-permanent managing conservatorship reimbursement	The DFPS kinship manual says eligible unverified caregivers may request up to $500 a year per child for up to three years	This is tied to getting permanent managing conservatorship in a DFPS case
Permanency Care Assistance	DFPS says monthly payments are $400 to $545, depending on the child’s needs	You must become a verified foster parent and sign the agreement before the court grants permanent managing conservatorship

Child-only TANF for grandparents raising grandchildren

• What it is: A TANF case for the child, not the grandparent. Texas treats this as a child-only or non-caretaker case.
• Who can get it or use it: A grandparent or other qualifying relative caring for a related child in the home. The HHSC guide for grandparents says custody or guardianship is not required just to apply.
• How it helps: It gives modest monthly cash and may help connect the child to Medicaid. The child’s own income, such as child support or survivor benefits, is reviewed.
• How to apply or use it: Apply through Your Texas Benefits, visit a benefits office, or call 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905. Ask for paper Form H1010 if online filing is hard.
• What to gather or know first: Your ID, Social Security numbers, proof of relationship, proof the child lives with you, and information about any child support, survivor benefits, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

One-Time TANF for Relatives

• What it is: A special TANF payment that used to be called the grandparent payment.
• Who can get it or use it: The Texas Works Handbook says the relative must usually be 25 or older, be a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, or sister of the child, the parent must not be in the home, and the child must be TANF-certified.
• How it helps: It pays $1,000 once, no matter how many related children are in the home.
• How to apply or use it: Ask HHSC about it when you apply for TANF or when your TANF case is reviewed. Do not assume the office will offer it automatically.
• What to gather or know first: Proof of age, relationship, income, resources, and a good mailing address. Household gross income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, and resources must be at or below $1,000.

Kinship care payments and kinship navigator help in Texas

Start here: if the child came to you through Child Protective Services (CPS), ask which office handles your region. In many parts of Texas, a local Community-Based Care (CBC) contractor or child-placing agency helps manage kinship and foster-home work, not just the same DFPS office that handled removal.

Relative and Other Designated Caregiver payments

• What it is: A monthly DFPS reimbursement for eligible kinship caregivers. DFPS calls it the Relative and Other Designated Caregiver (RODC) payment.
• Who can get it or use it: The DFPS kinship page says the child must be in the temporary or permanent conservatorship of the State of Texas, the kinship home assessment must be approved, the caregiver must sign the kinship agreement, begin training, and the family net income must not exceed 300% of the federal poverty limit.
• How it helps: The latest DFPS report says the rate increased to $23.45 per day per eligible child on 1 January 2025. Payments usually last up to 12 months, with a possible six-month extension for good cause.
• How to apply or use it: Ask your DFPS kinship worker to screen you. This is not a Your Texas Benefits program.
• What to gather or know first: Placement papers, income proof, your approved home assessment, and the name of the worker or contractor handling your region.

Permanency Care Assistance

• What it is: A long-term subsidy for relatives or fictive kin who become the child’s permanent managing conservator in a DFPS case.
• Who can get it or use it: DFPS says you must become a verified foster parent, care for the child as a foster parent for at least six consecutive months, sign the agreement before the court grants conservatorship, and then receive permanent managing conservatorship.
• How it helps: Monthly payments are $400 to $545, depending on the child’s needs. Texas also has enhanced support for some children with specialized or intense care needs.
• How to apply or use it: Tell the worker early that you want to preserve PCA eligibility. Waiting until after court can cost you the benefit.
• What to gather or know first: Verification paperwork, court dates, service-level information, and written confirmation that the PCA agreement is signed before final orders.

Kinship navigator help in practice

• What it is: Texas navigation help is spread across several systems instead of one simple statewide application.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents, other relatives, and in many DFPS cases, fictive kin.
• How it helps: The most practical guides are usually the DFPS kinship page, Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, the HHSC Find Local Support tool, and 2-1-1 Texas.
• How to apply or use it: Start with the DFPS kinship page if there is a CPS case. Start with HHSC and 2-1-1 if there is not.
• What to gather or know first: Your county, the child’s case status, and a written list of what you already applied for so agencies do not send you in circles.

Guardianship assistance for older caregivers

• What it is: Texas does not offer a broad monthly “guardianship assistance” payment for grandparents raising children outside the DFPS subsidy system.
• Who can get it or use it: Older caregivers who need real legal authority over school, medical care, or long-term decision-making.
• How it helps: In Texas, a family court conservatorship order is usually more useful than informal caregiving if the child will stay long-term. In a DFPS case, that court step may connect to post-conservatorship reimbursement or PCA.
• How to apply or use it: Use the TexasLawHelp kinship care guide, the Texas Kincare primer, or the Texas State Law Library custody guide. County procedures differ, so low-income seniors should ask about legal aid and fee-waiver options.
• What to gather or know first: Parent addresses, safety concerns, child records, and any proof the child has been living with you.

Can grandparents get foster care payments?

• What it is: A grandparent can move from an unverified kinship placement to a verified kinship foster home in a DFPS case.
• Who can get it or use it: Only relatives caring for a child in DFPS conservatorship. Informal caregivers outside DFPS do not qualify.
• How it helps: The November 2025 Texas kinship foster rule changes streamlined many kinship requirements, and the DFPS 2026 Annual Plan says kinship foster homes can receive the same level of financial assistance as other foster providers. The exact rate still depends on the child’s service level and the agency handling your verification.
• How to apply or use it: Tell the worker early that you want to be considered for foster-home verification. Ask which CBC contractor or child-placing agency handles your county.
• What to gather or know first: Household member information, background-check information, training availability, and a written list of home-safety items the agency expects.

School enrollment and medical consent issues

School first: enroll the child right away where the child lives. The Texas Education Agency enrollment page says every child in Texas has a right to a free public education, and the Texas Education Agency guidance on nonparent relatives says a district may not exclude a student who is otherwise entitled to enroll just because the family lacks an authorization agreement, power of attorney, or similar document.

Local variation matters: school districts can still ask for residency proof and immunization records, and district front offices do not always know kinship rules. Bring a lease or utility bill, any court or DFPS papers, the child’s last school information, and immunization records. If you are blocked, ask for the district enrollment office and, if needed, call TEA at 1-512-463-9290.

Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative

• What it is: A Texas Family Code Chapter 34 form often called the Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative.
• Who can get it or use it: A parent and a qualifying nonparent relative when the parent is willing to sign.
• How it helps: It can help with school and medical decisions without opening a full custody case, but it is not the same as legal custody and can be challenged or revoked.
• How to apply or use it: The TEA page says the official DFPS form is Form 2638. Use it for practical day-to-day authority, especially while you decide whether to file in court.
• What to gather or know first: Parent contact information, IDs, the child’s information, and any existing court orders. Doctors and schools may still want to keep a copy in their file.

Medical consent warning: if the child is in DFPS conservatorship, ask immediately who the medical consenter is. Do not assume the school form and the medical form are the same thing.

Medicaid and health insurance for grandchildren in a grandparent’s care

• What it is: Texas uses the same application for Medicaid and CHIP. Children in DFPS conservatorship usually have STAR Health.
• Who can get it or use it: Low-income children, some children tied to TANF, and children in DFPS care.
• How it helps: The HHSC grandparent guide says Medicaid can cover doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital care, dental care, vaccines, lab work, glasses, and mental health care. The DFPS kinship manual says STAR Health covers medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and prescriptions for most children in care.
• How to apply or use it: Apply through Your Texas Benefits or a benefits office. If you are already enrolled and cannot get care, call the Medicaid Managed Care Helpline at 1-866-566-8989.
• What to gather or know first: Social Security numbers, current medicines, therapist or doctor names, any prior insurance cards, and the child’s address. Regular Medicaid and CHIP plan choices can vary by county, but STAR Health is the special plan used in DFPS care.

Food help and child benefits for kinship families

• What it is: SNAP food benefits for the household, plus possible child support or other child-based benefits.
• Who can get it or use it: Low-income households with children living in the home.
• How it helps: The HHSC grandparent guide says SNAP amounts are based on how many people live in the home. If the child is under 5, ask HHSC about Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) too.
• How to apply or use it: Use Your Texas Benefits or call 2-1-1. After school enrollment, ask the district about meal forms and other school-based food help.
• What to gather or know first: Household income, rent, utilities, and a clear answer about who buys and cooks food together in the home.

Child support matters: the OAG public assistance page says cooperation with child support is required in many TANF and Medicaid cases unless HHSC grants good cause, often because of family violence. Texas also says a TANF family gets the first $75 of current child support collected in a month, while the rest generally reimburses the state. If a parent has died, retired, or receives disability benefits, also ask Social Security whether the child can receive dependent or survivor benefits.

Housing help for seniors raising grandchildren

• What it is: Texas housing and utility help is mostly local and searched through one statewide directory.
• Who can get it or use it: Renters, homeowners, and families facing shutoffs or eviction.
• How it helps: The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Help for Texans page connects people to local rent help, public housing authorities, reduced-rent apartment searches, utility bill programs, and eviction help.
• How to apply or use it: Search by county or city on Help for Texans. If you are already in eviction trouble, that page directs families to Texas Legal Services Center at 1-855-270-7655.
• What to gather or know first: Lease or mortgage papers, shutoff notices, eviction papers, proof of income, and the names of everyone living in the home. Providers vary by county and may be out of funds.

Very important: the Texas Utility Help page says the old Texas Utility Help website is closed. If you see old Texas Rent Relief, Texas Utility Help, or Homeowner Assistance pages in search results, treat them as outdated statewide programs and use current local provider searches instead.

Support groups and respite help for older caregivers

• What it is: Texas support usually comes through nonprofits, aging services, and local family resource programs.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents, older kinship caregivers, and relatives caring for children.
• How it helps: Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren offers support groups, advocacy, and case-management help. Take Time Texas is the official HHSC respite search. The HHSC services finder can help you locate an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) or an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).
• How to apply or use it: Start with TXGRG, Take Time Texas, or call HHSC at 1-855-937-2372. You can also use the HHSC Find Local Support tool and filter for kinship caregiver help.
• What to gather or know first: Your county, the child’s age, and whether there is a DFPS case. Some services are metro-only or grant-funded and can have waitlists.

What documents grandparents need

Try to build one folder for every program. Texas offices often ask for the same records more than once.

• ☐ Your Texas ID or other photo ID
• ☐ Social Security numbers for you and the child, or proof you applied for one
• ☐ Birth certificate or other proof of the child’s identity
• ☐ Proof of relationship to the child
• ☐ Any court orders, DFPS placement papers, or police reports
• ☐ Proof the child lives with you now
• ☐ Proof of income and, when required, resources
• ☐ Rent, mortgage, utility, and child-care bills
• ☐ School records and immunization records
• ☐ Insurance cards, medicine list, and doctor or therapist names
• ☐ Parent contact information and any written parent consent
• ☐ A notebook with dates, worker names, and screenshots of anything you upload

How grandparents can apply for benefits in Texas

Use this order to save time:

• Sort the case first. Informal care, DFPS kinship placement, and court conservatorship are different lanes.
• File the HHSC application immediately. Use Your Texas Benefits or ask for Form H1010 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905.
• Tell every office the same short story. Example: “My granddaughter has lived with me since March. She is not with CPS,” or “My grandson was placed with me by DFPS.”
• Push school and health coverage at the same time. Do not wait for the cash case to finish first.
• Answer notices fast. If you get a request for information or a missed-interview notice, respond right away and save proof you sent it.
• Use phone and paper backup if the portal fails. Many seniors lose weeks waiting on uploads that never post.
• If an adult child is helping you: keep a shared folder or notebook so notices, passwords, and deadlines do not get lost.

Reality checks

• Texas cash help may be much smaller than you expect. The latest public one-child child-only TANF figure this guide could verify is $126 a month, so you will usually need SNAP, school help, or other support too.
• DFPS money is not the same as grandparent money. If the child is living with you informally and not in DFPS conservatorship, you cannot get RODC or foster-home payments.
• Some Texas materials do not match perfectly. The DFPS 2026 Annual Plan and DFPS operating budget describe broader kinship day-care eligibility in 2025, but some brochures still show the older 40-hour rule.
• Local programs can be full. Housing, utility, respite, and legal-aid help often depend on county funds, grant cycles, or provider capacity.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for legal custody before applying for child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, or CHIP.
• Applying for yourself and the child when child-only TANF might be the cleaner first step.
• Forgetting to ask about the separate $1,000 One-Time TANF for Relatives payment.
• Assuming a school or clinic worker knows Texas kinship rules better than the agency guidance.
• Ignoring mail because you think the online portal is enough.
• Using the closed Texas Utility Help website instead of current local provider searches.
• Failing to ask for a good-cause child-support waiver if family violence is involved.

Best options by need

• I need cash now: child-only TANF and ask about One-Time TANF for Relatives.
• I took the child through CPS: ask about RODC, STAR Health, and foster-home verification.
• I need long-term legal authority: Chapter 34 papers for short-term use, and conservatorship advice for long-term stability.
• I need medical and therapy coverage: Medicaid, CHIP, or STAR Health.
• I need help with food: SNAP, school meals, and WIC for younger children.
• I need rent or light-bill help: TDHCA Help for Texans and 2-1-1 Texas.
• I need a break or someone to talk to: TXGRG, Take Time Texas, and your local AAA or ADRC.

What to do if denied, delayed, or blocked

• HHSC benefit problem: check every notice in Your Texas Benefits and by mail. If HHSC says proof is missing, resubmit it and keep a receipt or screenshot. The Texas Works Handbook says if a TANF case is denied for missing information and you turn in the missing proof within 60 days of the original file date, the date you provide it becomes the new file date, and if the case reopens within 30 days of the denial, a new interview is not required.
• School enrollment problem: show the TEA nonparent-relative page, ask for the district enrollment office, and call TEA at 1-512-463-9290 if you still get blocked.
• Child-support safety problem: the OAG page says HHSC can grant good cause in some cases. Call 2-1-1 and ask how to request a good-cause exemption.
• DFPS kinship payment problem: ask the worker, then the supervisor, and ask for the reason in writing. If you are told day care requires 40 work hours only, ask them to check the newer 2025 to 2026 policy documents because older brochures may not be updated.
• Health plan access problem: call the plan first, then the Medicaid Managed Care Helpline at 1-866-566-8989.
• Appeal or review: use the instructions and deadline on the denial notice. Do not wait because some appeal windows are short.

Plan B / backup options

• Apply for SNAP even if TANF is denied.
• Ask Social Security about child survivor or dependent benefits.
• Use 2-1-1 Texas for food pantries, clothing closets, and local family help.
• If there is a DFPS case, ask about your local Rainbow Room for beds, clothing, diapers, or school supplies.
• Ask the school about transportation, counseling, meal help, and after-school programs.
• If one legal-aid office is full, use TexasLawHelp or the State Bar Lawyer Referral and Information Service to try another path.

Local Texas resources

• DFPS Kinship Care: official DFPS kinship page with manuals, newsletters, and caregiver resources.
• Your Texas Benefits: benefits portal for TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, and CHIP. Phone: 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905.
• TXGRG: Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren for support groups, advocacy, and case management.
• Legal help: TexasLawHelp kinship care and the Texas State Law Library custody guide.
• Aging services: HHS office finder for your local AAA or ADRC. Phone: 1-855-937-2372.
• Respite: Take Time Texas.
• Housing and utilities: TDHCA Help for Texans.
• Family support search: HHSC Find Local Support.

Diverse communities

Seniors with disabilities

Start with aging and disability services. Use the HHS office finder to locate an AAA or ADRC, and use Take Time Texas if you need respite. If you are age 65 or older and facing abuse, neglect, or exploitation while raising a child, call Adult Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400.

Rural seniors with limited access

Use phone and paper options on purpose. Many rural families do better by calling 2-1-1, asking for paper Form H1010, and using the HHS service finder instead of waiting on weak internet. Court, school, and provider rules can vary sharply by county, so always ask whether mail, phone, or video options exist before you drive.

Frequently asked questions

Can a grandparent in Texas get child-only TANF without legal custody?

Yes. The HHSC guide for grandparents says grandparents do not need custody or guardianship to apply if they are related to the child and caring for the child in the home. In a child-only case, the grandparent’s own income and resources are generally not reviewed, but the child’s own income, such as child support or survivor benefits, is reviewed.

How much is child-only TANF in Texas?

Texas TANF cash amounts are small. The latest public HHSC grant bulletin this guide could verify lists a maximum of $126 a month for a one-child non-caretaker case effective 1 October 2024. Bigger child-only groups can receive more, but HHSC updates these charts, so always confirm the amount on your notice or with the office handling your case.

What is the $1,000 Texas payment for grandparents or other relatives?

It is called One-Time TANF for Relatives. The Texas Works Handbook says it is a once-in-a-lifetime $1,000 payment for certain relatives age 25 or older who are caring for a TANF-certified child, when the parent is not in the home and the household meets special income and resource rules. Ask for it directly. It is not automatic.

Can grandparents get foster care payments in Texas?

Yes, but only in a DFPS case. If the child is in DFPS conservatorship and your home becomes a verified kinship foster home, you can move into the foster-payment system. If you stay unverified, you may qualify for the RODC kinship payment instead. If the child is living with you informally outside DFPS, foster payments are not available.

Can a Texas school refuse to enroll my grandchild because I do not have custody?

Usually no, if the child is otherwise entitled to enroll where the child lives. The Texas Education Agency says a district may not exclude a student just because the family lacks an authorization agreement, power of attorney, or similar document. Districts can still ask for residency and immunization records, so bring every record you have.

How do medical consent and health insurance work if my grandchild lives with me?

If the child is in DFPS conservatorship, ask who the medical consenter is and whether the child has STAR Health. If the child is not in DFPS custody, the Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative can help with routine school and medical authority, but it is not the same as legal custody. For coverage, use Your Texas Benefits to apply for Medicaid or CHIP.

Does Texas have housing help just for grandparents raising grandchildren?

No separate statewide housing grant is reserved only for grandparents raising grandchildren. The real Texas path is the TDHCA Help for Texans search, which points you to local rent, public housing, reduced-rent apartment, eviction, and utility providers by county or city. This is also where you should start because the old Texas Utility Help website is closed.

What if family violence or a dangerous parent is involved?

Tell HHSC and the OAG right away. The OAG public assistance page says HHSC can grant good cause from child-support cooperation in some situations, often involving family violence. Ask for safety options, use legal aid, and do not let an office push you into unsafe contact just to move a benefits case forward.

Resumen en español

Si un nieto acaba de mudarse con usted en Texas, lo primero es averiguar si el menor está o no en la custodia legal de DFPS. Si no está en custodia estatal, el camino más rápido suele ser solicitar TANF solo para el niño, SNAP y Medicaid o CHIP por internet, por teléfono o con la forma en papel H1010. El folleto oficial de HHSC para abuelos que crían nietos dice que no se necesita custodia legal solo para pedir estos beneficios, siempre que el niño sea pariente y viva en el hogar.

Si el niño llegó por un caso de CPS, llame a su trabajador de DFPS y pregunte por pagos de parentesco, STAR Health, y si vale la pena buscar verificación como hogar de crianza. Para la escuela, la Agencia de Educación de Texas dice que una escuela pública no debe negar la inscripción solo porque usted no tenga una autorización del Capítulo 34. Para ayuda con renta, servicios públicos o recursos locales, use TDHCA Help for Texans y 2-1-1 Texas. Para apoyo emocional y grupos de abuelos, vea Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.

Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Verification: Last verified 7 April 2026, next review 7 August 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we respond within 72 hours.

Disclaimer: This article is informational only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, dollar amounts, and local availability can change. Confirm current details directly with the official program, school district, court, managed-care plan, or service provider before you act.