Indiana Grandparent Financial Help for Raising a Grandchild

You weren't planning to raise another child. Now you're buying groceries for two, scheduling pediatrician visits, and wondering how to make a fixed income stretch further. Indiana has several programs that can help — but they're scattered across different agencies, and nobody hands you a single list.

Cash Help: Child-Only TANF

The biggest relief for most grandparents is learning that Child-Only TANF doesn't count your income. You apply as a "non-needy relative caretaker" through the FSSA Benefits Portal (fssabenefits.in.gov) or your local DFR office. DFR evaluates only the child's income, which is usually zero.

Monthly amounts: $248 for one child, $409 for two, $513 for three. No work requirements apply to you, and there's no lifetime limit on child-only cases — benefits continue until the child turns 18.

Food Benefits: SNAP

SNAP (food stamps) works differently. If you and the grandchild share meals, your income counts as part of the household. But the income limits are higher than TANF — the gross limit for a two-person household is $2,345 per month — and deductions for rent, medical expenses, and dependent care can bring your countable income well below the threshold.

A two-person household can receive up to $562 per month in SNAP benefits. Apply through the same fssabenefits.in.gov portal.

Health Coverage: Hoosier Healthwise

Indiana's Medicaid program for children covers medical, dental, vision, prescriptions, and mental health services. If you don't claim the grandchild as a tax dependent, the child qualifies based on their own income (usually zero), which means free Package A coverage with no premiums or copays.

Once approved, coverage locks in for 12 months regardless of income changes.

Childcare: CCDF Vouchers

If you work, FSSA's CCDF program provides childcare vouchers. Initial eligibility requires gross household income at or below 135% FPL. Apply through the Carefinder portal. There may be a waitlist, but DCS placements receive priority.

DCS Programs (Formal Placements Only)

If DCS placed the child in your home through a CHINS proceeding, additional support is available:

• Unlicensed kinship stipend: $300 per month per child
• Personal allowance: up to $300 per year per child for school activities and personal items
• Childcare allowance: up to $18 per day per child
• Initial clothing and bedding: one-time allowance
• KinGAP: monthly subsidy plus Medicaid if you become a licensed foster parent and take guardianship (requires 6 months of licensed care, child must be 13+ or a sibling of an eligible child)

These programs are only available through DCS for children who are formal wards. Informal kinship caregivers access benefits through DFR instead.

Emergency Help: Township Trustees

Every Indiana township has a trustee who provides emergency poor relief — help with rent, utilities, food, and medical expenses. Apply at your township trustee's office. Eligibility is based on immediate need and varies by township.

Caregiver Support: Area Agencies on Aging

If you're 55 or older, your local Area Agency on Aging can connect you to Title III-E Family Caregiver Support services: respite care, support groups, home modification assistance, and limited material help. Call 1-800-986-3505 or contact your local AAA.

Where to Start

Apply for TANF, SNAP, and Medicaid all at once through fssabenefits.in.gov. Complete the authorized-representative form generated after the online application (State Form 53460 for SNAP and cash assistance; State Form 55366 for health coverage) so DFR can communicate with you about the appropriate cases.

The Indiana Kinship Financial Help Guide maps every program to your caregiving arrangement — informal care, power of attorney, guardianship, or DCS placement — with step-by-step application instructions for each.

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