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Last updated: May 27, 2026
Bottom line: West Virginia does not have one simple cash grant just because you are a grandparent. Most families should start with child-only WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid or WVCHIP, school access, and local help. If the child was placed with you by Child Protective Services or the West Virginia Department of Human Services, ask about kinship certification right away. That formal path can lead to foster-level payments after approval.
The most important step is to name your lane. Are you helping by family agreement? Did DoHS place the child with you? Or do you need court papers for custody or guardianship? Each path uses different workers, forms, and payment rules.
Important name update: Older papers may still say DHHR or inRoads. West Virginia split DHHR into new departments on January 1, 2024. For this topic, the main public agency is now the Department of Human Services. The main benefits portal is WV PATH.
Emergency help now
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
- If you suspect child abuse or neglect, use West Virginia Centralized Intake or call 1-800-352-6513.
- If you need food, shelter, clothing, medicine, or a safe local referral tonight, contact WV 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or texting your ZIP code to 898-211.
- If you already have the child in your home, start benefits through WV PATH and also keep your county office number handy.
Quick help
- Need cash for the child: Ask for child-only WV WORKS.
- Need food: Ask for SNAP and Summer EBT screening.
- Need health coverage: Ask for Medicaid and WVCHIP screening for the child.
- CPS placed the child: Ask for the kinship certification referral before the worker leaves.
- Need school or medical authority: Ask about school enrollment, medical consent, custody, or guardianship. These are not the same thing.
- Need a senior-focused local starting point: Use our West Virginia senior help guide for broader state programs.
Quick-reference table
| Your situation | What it usually means | Best first ask |
|---|---|---|
| The child moved in by family agreement | This is usually informal care. The parent may still have legal rights. | Child-only WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid or WVCHIP, school records, and medical consent. |
| CPS or DoHS placed the child with you | This is formal kinship care in the child welfare system. | Kinship certification referral, home finding specialist, placement papers, and Kinship Navigator help. |
| You need long-term authority | You may need custody or guardianship through court. | Legal Aid WV, Kinship Connector, and the right family or circuit court. |
| You are short on food, rent, or utilities | Benefits may not arrive fast enough by themselves. | WV 211, Emergency Assistance, local charities, and a DoHS field office. |
Contents
- Choose your lane
- Cash and kinship payments
- Health coverage
- Food, clothing, utilities
- School and medical consent
- Custody and guardianship
- Support and local help
- Start without wasting time
- Documents to gather
- Denied or delayed
Choose your lane
West Virginia has a real kinship care system, but not every grandparent raising a child is in that system. Mission West Virginia says many children in the state live in grandfamilies or kinship care arrangements, but the money and paperwork depend on how the child came to your home. You can read more from Mission WV kinship while you sort out your next step.
Informal family care: This is when a parent asks you to keep the child, or the child comes to you without a state placement. You may still be able to apply for help for the child. But this does not turn your home into a foster home.
Formal kinship placement: This is when DoHS or the court places the child with you during a child welfare case. This path can lead to certification, foster-level payments, respite, and other child welfare supports. It also comes with home study steps, background checks, and court dates.
Court custody or guardianship: This gives you legal authority to make decisions. It may help with school, medical care, and stability. It does not, by itself, create foster care payments.
For a broader national overview, our grandparent programs guide explains common benefit types. This West Virginia page is about the state steps.
Cash and kinship payments
Child-only WV WORKS
WV WORKS is West Virginia’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The official WV WORKS page says it provides monthly cash assistance to eligible families. For many grandparents, the practical request is a child-only case. That means the cash help is for the child, not a full TANF case for you as the grandparent.
Who may qualify: Grandparents and other relatives may be able to apply when the child lives with them and needs support. Ask the worker who is counted in the assistance group before you sign the final application.
Where to apply: Apply online, by phone, or through your DoHS field office if you need paper help. You can also use our WV PATH senior guide if the portal is confusing.
Reality check: WV WORKS, SNAP, and Medicaid are connected, but one approval does not guarantee every other benefit. Ask for each program by name.
Kinship certification and foster-level payments
If DoHS placed the child with you, ask about the Home Finding Policy and the kinship certification timeline. West Virginia policy shows lower child-only TANF amounts for non-certified kinship or relative placements and higher foster boarding rates after certification.
| Payment path | Public amount shown | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF, 1 child | $417 per month | Shown for non-certified kinship or relative placements. |
| Child-only TANF, 2 children | $480 per month | Ask how your case is coded. |
| Child-only TANF, 3 children | $542 per month | This is not the foster boarding rate. |
| Child-only TANF, 4 children | $612 per month | Keep your written notice. |
| Child-only TANF, 5 children | $670 per month | Amounts can depend on case coding. |
| Child-only TANF, 6 children | $734 per month | Ask before assuming back pay. |
| Child-only TANF, 7 children | $793 per month | County staff can explain notices. |
| Child-only TANF, 8 children | $811 per month | Public chart stops at this amount. |
| Certified rate, ages 0 to 5 | $790 per month | Starts from certification, not the move-in date. |
| Certified rate, ages 6 to 12 | $851 per month | Applies in the formal child welfare lane. |
| Certified rate, ages 13 to 21 | $942 per month | Ask about clothing, transport, and respite too. |
Mission West Virginia’s Kinship Navigators help during the first 90 days of a formal placement. The listed contact number is 304-562-0723.
Phone script for CPS placement: “I am the grandparent caring for this child. Has the kinship certification referral been sent? Who is my home finding specialist? What do I need to finish this week?”
Health coverage
Do not wait for court papers before asking about health coverage. West Virginia PATH can screen children for Medicaid and WVCHIP. The WVCHIP grandparents page says one application can cover eligible grandchildren living with you. It also says a grandparent’s income is counted only if the grandparent has legally adopted the child.
What it helps with: Doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency care, dental care, vision care, and preventive care may be covered, depending on whether the child is approved for Medicaid or WVCHIP.
Who may qualify: Children living with you may qualify even if you are not their legal guardian yet. Adoption can change how income is counted, so answer the application questions carefully.
Where to apply: Use WV PATH, Healthcare.gov, or a DoHS office. If the child is in state custody, ask the child welfare worker for the Medicaid card or plan information.
Reality check: Managed care notices and cards can arrive at different times. Keep every envelope. If a doctor says coverage is not active, call the number on the card and the DoHS case contact.
Food, clothing, and utility help
Many grandparents need help before a child welfare payment or court order is settled. Ask for more than one program at the same time.
| Need | Program to ask about | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly food help | SNAP | West Virginia’s 2026 Healthy Choices waiver limits soda purchases with SNAP. |
| Summer food help | Summer EBT | West Virginia says Summer EBT returns in 2026, with automatic benefits for many eligible students. |
| School clothes | School Clothing Allowance | Applications are usually accepted July 1 through July 31, or as DoHS sets. |
| Rent, utilities, food, supplies | Emergency Assistance | This is short-term crisis help, not an ongoing monthly benefit. |
| Heating costs | LIEAP | The regular 2026 window ran February 2 through February 20, or until funding was exhausted. |
For SNAP, start with the official Healthy Choices waiver notice so you know what changed in 2026. For summer food help, check the Summer EBT page because the 2026 dates matter. For school clothes, the School Clothing Allowance page explains the annual window and redemption deadline.
If the crisis is rent, utilities, food, clothing, transportation, or medical service, ask about Emergency Assistance at your local office. If the problem is heat, watch the next LIEAP window. The 2026 DoHS LIEAP notice confirms the regular February 2026 filing period.
If food or housing is urgent, our emergency help guide and senior housing help page can help you sort the local options.
School and medical consent
School enrollment
Bring the child’s birth certificate if you have it, proof of address, shot records, last school name, and any court or placement papers. West Virginia’s school birth-record law focuses on birth records at admission. If you cannot get a certified birth record right away, ask the school what affidavit or proof it will accept while records are requested.
If you and the child are doubled up, in a motel, in a shelter, or moving because of a crisis, ask about McKinney-Vento rights. The WVDE rights page says a student must be enrolled and given transportation during a dispute.
School phone script: “I am the grandparent caring for this child. We need enrollment now. I have these records today, and I am trying to get the rest. Who is the school homeless liaison or enrollment contact?”
Medical consent
West Virginia law allows a caregiver with a notarized affidavit to consent to ordinary health care for a child in the caregiver’s home in many cases. Read the caregiver consent law before relying on it. The related rules say the affidavit is not the same as legal custody and usually lasts one year unless revoked or the child leaves your home.
Reality check: This affidavit can help with routine medical care. It does not fix every special education, surgery, custody, or long-term stability issue.
Custody and guardianship
Some grandparents need court papers because a school, doctor, benefits worker, or parent will not accept informal care. West Virginia’s minor guardianship law says family court and circuit court can appoint a guardian for a minor. The right county and case type can depend on where the child has lived and whether another custody case is already pending.
Use Legal Aid WV’s Kinship Connector to compare adoption, guardianship, and temporary care options. It is for kinship caregivers and can help with paperwork. It is not meant for children already involved in an abuse and neglect case in court.
If the child is in state custody and later moves toward permanency, subsidized legal guardianship may be possible. West Virginia’s guardianship policy describes a monthly subsidy and/or medical card for some certified caregivers after reunification and adoption are ruled out. It is not a fast first step for a brand-new informal caregiver.
Legal Aid phone script: “I am raising my grandchild in West Virginia. I need to know whether I should file for custody, guardianship, or another option. There may be a deadline. What papers should I gather before intake?”
For a broader money overview, our grandparent grants guide explains why many programs are benefits, not cash grants.
Support and local help
You do not have to solve every problem through one office. West Virginia has statewide and local support that can help with forms, referrals, peer support, and practical needs.
| Resource | Good for | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| WV Relatives as Parents Program | Relative caregiver support and warmline help | Ask about support groups, local referrals, and kinship next steps. |
| Healthy Grandfamilies | Grandparent education and follow-up support | Ask whether a group is active in your county. |
| Family Support Centers | Family support, referrals, parenting help, local services | Ask what your county center can provide this month. |
| Area Agencies on Aging | Senior support, caregiver help, local aging services | Ask what help exists for an older caregiver raising a child. |
| Churches and charities | Food, clothes, utility help, basic supplies | Ask whether help is county-limited or appointment-only. |
Start with WV RAPP if you need kinship caregiver support by phone. Check Healthy Grandfamilies for free group education and follow-up support. Use the state Family Support Centers directory for county-based family help.
Older caregivers should also keep the aging office guide close. For food boxes, clothing closets, and faith-based help, try our charity help page after you contact 2-1-1.
How to start without wasting time
- Write down your lane first. Informal care, DoHS placement, court case, or not sure.
- Apply for the child. Ask for child-only WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid or WVCHIP, and any emergency help in one contact.
- Keep child welfare separate. If CPS is involved, ask the caseworker about kinship certification, not only benefits.
- Get school and health access moving. Do not wait for perfect court papers if the child needs school or care now.
- Use one notebook. Write down dates, worker names, phone numbers, case numbers, and what each person told you.
Benefits phone script: “I am a grandparent caring for a child in my home. I want to apply for child-only WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid or WVCHIP, and any emergency help. Please tell me what proof you need and how my case will be coded.”
Documents to gather
- Your photo ID and current address.
- The child’s birth certificate, if you have it.
- The child’s Social Security number, if known.
- School records, shot records, and any Individualized Education Program or 504 plan.
- Medicaid, WVCHIP, or other insurance cards.
- Any court order, police report, CPS paper, placement agreement, or safety screen.
- Proof the child lives with you, such as school mail, doctor mail, or a written statement.
- Proof of income if a program asks for it.
- Names, phone numbers, and addresses for the child’s parents.
- A notarized medical consent affidavit if you do not have custody and need routine care.
For a printable planning aid, use our documents checklist before you call several offices.
Reality checks
- Foster money is not automatic. A child living with you does not make the child a foster child.
- Certification takes work. Background checks, references, safety fixes, and missing papers can slow the process.
- Old names cause confusion. Do not stop because a paper says DHHR. Ask which current DoHS unit handles the issue.
- Local help varies. Family Support Centers, charities, clothing closets, and support groups are not the same in every county.
- Paperless notices can be risky. If no one checks the WV PATH account often, keep paper notices.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for a court order before asking about food or health coverage.
- Leaving a CPS placement meeting without asking about kinship certification.
- Thinking a medical affidavit is the same as custody.
- Assuming the worker knows you want a child-only WV WORKS case.
- Missing a mailed notice or upload deadline.
- Using old inRoads or DHHR directions without checking the current DoHS path.
- Forgetting to ask the school about McKinney-Vento if housing is unstable.
What to do if denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
First, ask which system made the decision. A WV WORKS denial, SNAP delay, kinship certification problem, WV CARES background issue, and school enrollment dispute do not use the same appeal path.
- Ask for the decision in writing. A phone answer is not enough.
- Ask for the appeal deadline. Write it on the front of your folder.
- For benefits questions, call the DoHS Customer Service Reporting Center at 1-877-716-1212.
- For Legal Aid, use the Legal Aid intake page or call 866-255-4370.
- For EBT card problems, use the Office of EBT or call 1-866-545-6502.
Appeal phone script: “I received a denial or delay notice. I need the exact reason, the appeal deadline, and the next paper I must file. Please send or explain the written notice.”
Plan B and backup options
- Call WV 211 for local food, rent, utility, clothing, and shelter referrals.
- Ask the school counselor or liaison about clothing, meals, transportation, and records.
- Ask a Family Support Center for concrete local help and referral lists.
- Call Mission WV if the child was placed through a child welfare case and you are not getting navigator help.
- Ask Legal Aid WV what to do before filing court papers on your own.
Resumen en español
Si usted es abuelo, abuela, bisabuelo o cuidador mayor en West Virginia, la ayuda real suele empezar con WV PATH, la oficina local de DoHS, y una solicitud para WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid o WVCHIP. West Virginia no parece tener un pago especial solo por ser abuelo. El camino correcto depende de si el cuidado es informal, si el menor fue colocado con usted por el estado, o si necesita custodia o tutela por la corte.
Si Child Protective Services colocó al menor con usted, pida de inmediato la referencia para certificación de kinship care, el nombre del home finding specialist y ayuda de Mission WV Kinship Navigators. Para ayuda legal con custodia, tutela o formularios, use Kinship Connector o llame a Legal Aid WV. Para comida, ropa, vivienda o servicios locales, llame al 2-1-1.
Frequently asked questions
Does West Virginia have a special cash grant for grandparents raising grandchildren?
No clear statewide cash grant exists just because the caregiver is a grandparent. Most families start with child-only WV WORKS, SNAP, Medicaid or WVCHIP, and local support. If DoHS placed the child with you, kinship certification may create a different payment path.
What is child-only WV WORKS?
Child-only WV WORKS is a TANF cash assistance setup focused on the child. The grandparent should ask who is counted in the assistance group and whether the case is truly child-only before the application is finished.
Can grandparents get foster care payments in West Virginia?
Yes, but usually only when the child is in DoHS custody and the grandparent’s home becomes a certified kinship or relative placement. Informal family care does not create foster care payments by itself.
Do I need custody to enroll my grandchild in school?
Not always. Bring the records you have and ask the school what proof it needs. If housing is unstable, ask for the McKinney-Vento liaison right away.
Can I consent to medical care without custody?
Often yes for ordinary health care if you have a notarized caregiver consent affidavit that follows West Virginia law. It is temporary and does not create legal custody.
Will my income count for WVCHIP?
The WVCHIP grandparents page says a grandparent’s income is counted only if the grandparent has legally adopted the grandchild. Let the state screen the child for Medicaid and WVCHIP.
What should I do if certification is delayed?
Ask whether the home finding referral was sent, who your home finding specialist is, and what items are missing. Also ask Mission WV whether a Kinship Navigator can help during the first 90 days.
About This Guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, 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 May 27, 2026, next review August 27, 2026.
Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.
Last updated: May 27, 2026
Next review: August 27, 2026
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