Virginia Kinship Care Financial Assistance: TANF, VDSS, and Support Programs

Financial Help Exists — But You Have to Know Where to Look

Raising someone else's child is expensive, and Virginia does not make it easy to find the financial support that is actually available. The programs are scattered across state agencies, local departments of social services, and federal benefit streams. Most kinship caregivers qualify for more help than they realize.

Here is a straightforward breakdown of the main financial assistance programs for Virginia grandparents and relatives raising a child.

TANF Child-Only Grants

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) offers a "child-only" grant specifically designed for children living with non-parent relatives. The critical feature: the grant evaluates only the child's income and resources, not yours. Your employment, Social Security income, retirement savings, and assets are completely excluded from the eligibility calculation.

You do not need court-ordered custody to apply. You do need to show proof of your relationship to the child (birth certificates, family records) and proof that the child lives in your home full-time.

Apply through your local Department of Social Services office or online through CommonHelp (commonhelp.virginia.gov). Monthly grant amounts are modest — Virginia's TANF payments are among the lower in the country. CommonHelp lets you choose to apply for multiple benefits, including SNAP and health coverage, alongside TANF; select each program you want considered.

Medicaid (Cardinal Care) and FAMIS

Children in kinship care placements can qualify for health insurance through Cover Virginia, which administers Cardinal Care Medicaid and the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) program. Like TANF, eligibility is based on the child's income alone — your income as the caregiver is not counted.

Apply online through CommonHelp, by calling the Cover Virginia Call Center at 1-855-242-8282, or by submitting a paper application at your local DSS. Include Appendix C (Authorized Representative Form) so the agency recognizes you as the person authorized to manage the child's coverage, receive insurance cards, and resolve claims.

Cardinal Care Medicaid covers doctor visits, prescriptions, dental care, vision care, mental health services, and hospitalizations at no cost to the child.

Kinship Subsidies Through the Children's Services Act (CSA)

Virginia operates two kinship subsidy programs funded through the Children's Services Act:

Federal KinGAP Assistance (Va. Code § 63.2-1305): Available to relative caregivers who served as licensed foster parents for the child for at least six consecutive months before receiving custody. KinGAP provides monthly maintenance payments funded primarily through federal Title IV-E dollars. This program is specifically for relatives who came through the formal foster care system.

State-Funded Kinship Subsidy (Va. Code § 63.2-1306): Available to relatives who receive custody of children from foster care but are not eligible for the federal KinGAP program. Funded through the CSA State Pool, this subsidy fills the gap for families that do not meet the federal program's requirements.

Both programs are administered through local departments of social services and require coordination with the local Community Policy and Management Team (CPMT) and the Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT).

Relative Maintenance Support Payments

Virginia's Relative Maintenance Support Payment program provides state-funded maintenance payments to eligible relative caregivers, bridging the financial gap between the modest TANF child-only grant and the more substantial formal foster care maintenance rates.

Eligibility and payment amounts vary. Contact your local DSS office and ask specifically about relative maintenance payments — the program is not always well-publicized, and caseworkers may not mention it unless you ask.

VDSS and the "Kin First" Framework

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) has adopted a "Kin First" framework across its child welfare practice, prioritizing relative placements when children cannot stay with their parents. Updated VDSS guidance (June 2025) standardizes outreach and navigator assistance for kinship families.

In practice, this means your local DSS office should have a kinship navigator or liaison who can help you identify which programs you qualify for and guide you through the application process. If you contact your local DSS and do not get connected to kinship-specific support, ask for the Kinship Care Division directly.

Foster Care Maintenance (If You Become a Licensed Resource Family)

Relative caregivers who become dually-approved resource parents (licensed foster parents) through their local DSS are eligible for standard foster care maintenance payments. As of July 1, 2025, basic monthly rates range from $551 to $861 depending on the child's age, with additional clothing and supplemental allowances available.

Becoming a licensed foster parent involves training, home study, and background checks. It is a more involved process than informal kinship care, but it opens the door to significantly higher financial support and formal agency backing.

What You Do Not Need

A common misconception is that you need court-ordered legal custody or legal guardianship before applying for any of these programs. TANF child-only applicants do not need court-ordered custody, but must provide proof of relationship and residence. For Medicaid or FAMIS applications made on a child's behalf, submit Cardinal Care Appendix C as the authorized representative form and follow the agency's documentation requirements.

The formal kinship subsidies (KinGAP and state-funded kinship subsidy) do require a more structured legal and agency relationship — typically a custody transfer from the local DSS after a foster care placement.

Where to Start

If you are not sure which programs apply to your situation:

1. Contact your local Department of Social Services and ask for the kinship care navigator
2. Apply for TANF child-only and Medicaid through CommonHelp — the application screens for multiple programs at once
3. Ask specifically about the Relative Maintenance Support Payment program
4. If the child came through a foster care placement, ask about KinGAP and state kinship subsidies

The Virginia School and Medical Consent Guide focuses on the school enrollment and medical consent paperwork, with cross-references to financial assistance programs and the agencies that administer them.

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