Financial Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in PA: Every Program in One Place

When a grandchild moves in because a parent can't care for them, the first thing most grandparents notice is the money. Food, clothing, school supplies, a bed, maybe childcare — expenses land before any benefit application is even filed. Pennsylvania has six main programs that can help, but they're spread across different agencies with different rules, and nobody hands you a single list.

Here's that list.

1. Child-Only TANF: Monthly Cash for the Child

The fastest source of direct cash is a Child-Only TANF grant through your County Assistance Office (CAO). As a "non-needy caretaker relative," your own income and savings are completely excluded — only the child's independent income matters (Social Security, child support). Most children have none, so most qualify.

Monthly grant amounts by county group:

• Group 1 (Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Lancaster, Pike): $215 for one child
• Group 2 (Philadelphia, Allegheny, Erie, Lehigh, others): $205
• Group 3 (Beaver, Mercer, Tioga, others): $195
• Group 4 (Cambria, Fayette, Schuylkill, others): $174

No time limit. No work requirement. Apply through COMPASS or at your local CAO with Form PA 600.

2. SNAP: Food Benefits for the Household

SNAP (food stamps) works differently from TANF — the whole household's income counts, including yours. But Pennsylvania uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, raising the gross income limit to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a two-person household, that's about $43,296 in annual income for October 2026 through September 2027.

The child's TANF grant counts as household income for SNAP purposes. Apply through COMPASS alongside your TANF application.

3. Medical Assistance and CHIP: Health Coverage

Children in kinship care can get health coverage regardless of your income. Under MAGI rules, a relative caregiver's income is generally excluded when the child is evaluated under non-filer rules. A parent or minor sibling living with the child can change household size, and if you claim the child as a tax dependent, tax-filer rules can count your income. If the child qualifies, Medical Assistance covers doctor visits, dental, vision, behavioral health, prescriptions, and medical transportation.

If the child's countable MAGI household income is too high for Medical Assistance, coverage can move to CHIP. Pennsylvania CHIP covers children under 19 who are not eligible for Medical Assistance, with costs ranging from no-cost to full-cost based on family income; there is no income ceiling.

4. Caregiver Support Program: Reimbursement for Caregivers 55+

If you're 55 or older and related to the child, the Pennsylvania Caregiver Support Program (run through your local Area Agency on Aging) reimburses caregiving expenses — respite care, childcare, school costs, and home modifications. Act 20 of 2021 set caps at $600/month for ongoing costs and $5,000 lifetime for home changes.

You don't need a custody order. Informal caregiving qualifies. Reimbursement is 100% for households at or below 200% FPL and slides down from there.

5. Child Care Works: Subsidized Childcare

If you need childcare so you can work or attend training, Child Care Works covers most of the cost. Apply through your regional Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC). Income eligibility starts at 200% of the Federal Poverty Level — household income counts, unlike TANF.

There's typically a small weekly co-payment based on income and household size. A work or training activity requirement applies (usually 20 hours per week), though exemptions exist for disability.

6. Emergency Help When a Child Arrives Suddenly

When the situation is immediate — a child shows up on your doorstep with nothing — these resources bridge the gap while benefit applications process:

• CCYA Emergency Needs Funds: County Children and Youth Agencies can provide beds, cribs, car seats, and clothing to prevent a child from entering formal foster care.
• LIHEAP: Seasonal cash grants for home heating costs.
• Community Action Agencies: Emergency utility, rent, and housing grants — varies by county.

How Care Arrangement Affects What You Get

Your legal relationship to the child changes which programs are available:

The critical trap: if you go straight to court for guardianship without first having a SPLC (Subsidized Permanent Legal Custodianship) agreement executed with the county child welfare agency, you permanently lose eligibility for SPLC monthly subsidies. That agreement must be signed before the custody order is entered.

Where to Start

If a child has just arrived and you're not sure what to file first:

1. Call PA KinConnector (1-866-546-2111, Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–5 p.m.) — they'll map your situation to the right agencies
2. File on COMPASS for TANF, SNAP, and Medical Assistance simultaneously — the PA 600 application covers all three
3. Contact your Area Agency on Aging if you're 55+ for the Caregiver Support Program

For the full walkthrough — every program's eligibility rules, the documents you need, application timelines, and worked grant calculation examples — the Pennsylvania Kinship Financial Help Guide covers it all.

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