Connecticut Relative Caregiver Benefits TFA and HUSKY

Benefits the Child Is Entitled To

When a child moves in with a grandparent or relative in Connecticut, several state and federal benefit programs can help cover the costs — and most of them are based on the child's circumstances, not yours. You do not always need legal custody or guardianship to apply.

TFA Child-Only Grants

Temporary Family Assistance (TFA) offers child-only cash grants to relative caregivers in Connecticut. The grant is based on the child's needs, not the caregiver's household income. That distinction matters: even if your own income would disqualify you from TFA for yourself, the child may still qualify for a child-only grant.

The child-only grant amount depends on the number of children in the placement and their ages. It is modest — not enough to cover all the costs of raising a child — but it provides recurring monthly cash that can go toward clothing, school supplies, food, and other necessities.

To apply, contact the Department of Social Services (DSS) and request a child-only TFA grant through ConneCT. Caregiver income and liquid assets are not evaluated for the child-only grant, but the caregiver must cooperate with assigning child-support rights against the non-custodial parent.

HUSKY Health (Medicaid and CHIP)

HUSKY A is Connecticut's Medicaid program for children, and HUSKY B is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Children may qualify under the applicable eligibility rules. For child-only HUSKY A coverage, the relative caregiver's household income is excluded and the child's independent income is evaluated.

HUSKY covers:

• Pediatric medical care
• Dental care
• Vision
• Mental health services
• Prescriptions
• Immunizations

You do not need custody or guardianship to enroll the child in HUSKY. However, medical providers still need consent authority from a parent or legal guardian before providing non-emergency treatment. HUSKY pays the bill, but you still need the legal paperwork to authorize the care.

Apply through Access Health CT (Connecticut's health insurance marketplace) or at your local DSS office.

SNAP (Food Assistance)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly food benefits. When a child lives in your household, their presence may increase your household's SNAP benefit amount.

For kinship caregivers: if you are already receiving SNAP, report the child as a new household member. If you are not, you can apply with the child included. SNAP eligibility is household-based, so your income and the number of people in your home determine the benefit level.

Under SNAP rules implemented in 2025–2026, the ABAWD age range subject to the 80-hour-per-month work or community-engagement requirement expanded to ages 18–64. The caretaker exemption applies when the youngest child in the household is under 14. Relative caregivers ages 55–64 raising grandchildren ages 14 or older must meet 80 hours per month of work, training, or qualifying volunteer service unless another exemption, such as a documented medical exemption, applies.

How to Access Everything

Call 2-1-1 (Connecticut's information line) and ask for kinship caregiver resources or the current referral route to the Kinship Navigator. The Navigator can provide information and referrals; DSS and the relevant program determine eligibility and where to apply.

You can also go directly to your local DSS office with the child's basic information — name, date of birth, Social Security number if available, and documentation showing the child lives with you.

The Consent Authority Gap

Here is the piece that trips up many kinship caregivers: qualifying for benefits and having the authority to use them are two different things. The child may qualify for HUSKY Health, but a pediatrician still needs someone with legal authority to consent to treatment. You may receive a TFA grant, but if a school registrar refuses enrollment, the child's daily needs are still unmet.

The Connecticut School and Medical Consent Guide covers both sides — the benefit programs available to kinship families and the consent authority you need to actually use them.

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