How to Apply for Benefits Through Arkansas DHS as a Relative Caregiver

The first trip to a DHS county office or the Access Arkansas website can feel overwhelming — TEA, SNAP, ARKids, and Medicaid each have their own rules, and the application system covers all of them on a single form. Here is how the process actually works for grandparents and relatives raising a child.

One Form, Multiple Programs

The DCO-0004 is the universal application for SNAP, TEA cash assistance, ARKids First, and Medicaid. Filing one form starts the eligibility review for every program you check off. You do not need separate applications.

Three ways to submit:

1. Online through the Access Arkansas portal at access.arkansas.gov — the portal supports mobile browsers and lets you upload documents by photographing them with your phone
2. In person at any DHS county office (Division of County Operations) — walk-in or scheduled appointment
3. By phone through the DHS Customer Service Call Center — they can complete intake over the phone

You can also mail or fax a paper DCO-0004 to your county office.

What to Bring

For child-only applications (TEA cash and ARKids), you need documents for the child and proof of your caregiving arrangement. For SNAP, you will also need your own financial information.

For every application:

• Child's birth certificate (backup: hospital record, baptismal certificate, passport, school ID)
• Child's Social Security card (or SSA receipt showing it is pending)
• Your photo ID (driver's license, passport, military ID, or state non-driver ID)
• Proof of relationship (birth certificates linking generations, marriage licenses for name changes, or a sworn affidavit)
• Proof the child lives with you (school enrollment records, pediatrician records at your address, landlord statement)

Additional for SNAP:

• 30 days of income documentation (pay stubs, SSA/SSI award letters, pension statements)
• Rent or mortgage statement
• Utility bills
• Out-of-pocket medical expense receipts (if you are 60+ or disabled)
• Childcare receipts

Processing Timeline

For SNAP, TEA, and ARKids First, DHS must process your application within 30 calendar days from the date your signed form is received and date-stamped. Benefits are calculated retroactively to that date — not the date you finish providing documents. This means you should file immediately, even before you have assembled every piece of paperwork. Submit supporting documents promptly and follow any deadline DHS gives you.

For SNAP, expedited processing within 7 days applies if your gross monthly income is under $150 and you have $100 or less in cash, or if your combined income and cash are less than your monthly rent and utility costs.

The Authorized Representative Option

If the child's grandmother has mobility limitations or is not comfortable navigating the portal, another family member can apply as an Authorized Representative by completing the designation section on the DCO-0004. This does not grant legal custody — it simply lets the representative manage the application, receive notices, attend interviews, and handle benefit accounts.

Language translation and disability accommodations (large print, TTY) are available free of charge from DHS on request.

For a document-by-document preparation checklist and a program-by-program walkthrough of how to apply for everything at once, see our Arkansas Financial Help for Kinship Caregivers guide.

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