RI Works Child-Only Grant for Relatives Raising a Child in Rhode Island

Your grandson moved in three weeks ago and you are covering every expense out of your Social Security check. You have heard that Rhode Island has a cash grant for the child, but you are worried your retirement income will disqualify him. It probably will not.

What the Child-Only Grant Actually Is

Rhode Island Works (RI Works) is the state's cash assistance program, funded by the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. When a relative caregiver — a grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or other blood or marriage relative — applies on behalf of a child without including themselves in the grant, DHS treats the case as a "child-only" or "non-needy caretaker relative" grant.

The critical difference: in a child-only case, the income and assets of the relative caregiver are completely excluded from the eligibility calculation. Your pension, wages, savings account, and home equity do not count. DHS evaluates only the child's own income, which usually means Social Security survivor benefits, child support, or trust distributions.

Who Qualifies

The child must live with a relative of an acceptable degree. The relative does not need a court order — an informal family arrangement qualifies, as does a probate guardianship or family court custody order. The child must be under 18, or under 19 and enrolled full-time in high school, a GED program, or equivalent training, with the program reasonably expected to be completed before or in the month the child turns 19.

One exclusion: if the child is in DCYF legal custody and the relative receives full foster care maintenance payments, the child is not eligible for RI Works at the same time.

Fictive kin (family friends or unrelated neighbors) cannot receive RI Works cash for the child because the program requires a biological or marital relationship.

What Does Not Count Against the Child

Because the caregiver is not in the assistance unit, the following have zero effect on the child's eligibility or payment amount:

• The caregiver's wages, pension, or Social Security income
• The caregiver's bank accounts, retirement savings, or home value
• Whether the caregiver is employed, retired, or receiving disability benefits

The only income that matters is income received directly on behalf of the child. If a grandchild receives $200 per month in Social Security survivor benefits, that amount reduces the cash grant dollar for dollar. If the child has no income of their own, the full standard grant applies.

No Time Limits, No Work Requirements

Child-only grants are exempt from the 60-month lifetime limit on RI Works benefits. The grant continues until the child turns 18 (or 19 if still in school). The caregiver faces no mandatory work activities, employment plans, or Department of Labor assessments. These requirements apply only when an adult includes themselves in the assistance unit.

How to Apply

File the DHS-2 application through the HealthyRhode portal, by phone at 1-855-697-4347, or by placing a paper application in a secure drop box at a DHS office. Check the DHS office page for current regional office locations and walk-in availability. Specify that you are applying for the child only and that you do not want to be included in the assistance unit.

Bring the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, and proof that the child lives with you (a school enrollment letter or medical record in your name works). If the child receives any income, bring documentation of the amount.

The Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in Rhode Island guide walks through the full DHS-2 application, explains each field for a relative caregiver, and includes a document checklist so nothing is missing at intake.

What Happens After Approval

DHS issues half of the monthly payment on the 1st and the other half on the 16th, loaded onto an EBT card. The first month is prorated from the date you met all eligibility factors, which may be the date you applied.

Applying automatically assigns the child's right to child support to DHS. You will need to cooperate with the Office of Child Support Services to identify the absent parent, unless you claim a Good Cause Exception using Form AP-35 (required when cooperation could put you or the child at risk of harm).

Up to $50 per month in collected child support is passed through directly to the family without reducing the cash grant.

The child-only grant is one piece of a larger picture that includes SNAP food benefits, CCAP childcare assistance, and RIte Care Medicaid. Our complete Rhode Island financial help guide covers every program in one place, with the forms and steps laid out in order.

See more Rhode Island guides →