Financial Help for Kinship Caregivers in West Virginia

You Are Not Expected to Cover Everything Yourself

Raising a relative's child means absorbing another person's food, clothing, medical, and school costs — often overnight and without warning. West Virginia has several financial assistance programs specifically available to kinship caregivers, and most of them can be accessed through a single online portal.

WV WORKS (TANF) Caretaker Relative Payments

The primary cash-assistance program for kinship caregivers is WV WORKS, West Virginia's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It includes provisions specifically for caretaker relatives raising children.

A non-parent caretaker relative can choose whether to be included or excluded from the WV WORKS assistance group. If you opt out of the group, your personal income and assets are not counted — only the child's circumstances matter for the child-only case. This is significant for grandparents receiving Social Security or disability payments, because those benefits do not disqualify the child from assistance.

Monthly payment amounts for kinship relative cases:

To qualify, the caregiver must meet the specified-relative rule, and the child must be under 18 — or under 19 if they are a full-time student in secondary school or an equivalent vocational or technical program.

SNAP (Food Assistance)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps cover grocery costs. Eligibility depends on household size and income. If the caregiver is elderly (age 60 or older) or disabled, special household calculation rules may apply.

Medicaid and WVCHIP

Children placed with kinship caregivers may qualify for Medicaid or the West Virginia Children's Health Insurance Program (WVCHIP), depending on the child's age, household income, and program-specific eligibility rules. Coverage is not automatic based on kinship status alone, and WVCHIP families may have premiums or copayments. But for many kinship households, the child qualifies for low-cost or free health coverage.

School Clothing Allowance

The Department of Human Services offers an annual school clothing allowance — a voucher for school clothing purchases. The amount and application timeline vary by year. Income limits apply and the program runs until funds are exhausted, so applying early matters.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIEAP)

If heating costs are a strain, the LIEAP program provides utility assistance during winter months. Applications open seasonally through the WV PATH portal.

How to Apply

All of these programs are accessible through WV PATH (People's Access To Help) at wvpath.wv.gov. You can create an account, apply for multiple programs at once, and manage renewals online. If you prefer in-person help, visit your local county Department of Human Services office.

The old InRoads portal has been replaced — if you have bookmarks pointing to inroads.wv.gov, update them to the WV PATH address.

Financial Help Does Not Require Court Custody

You do not need a guardianship order to apply for WV WORKS kinship payments, SNAP, or Medicaid for the child. These programs have their own eligibility rules that are separate from the legal instruments you use for school and medical consent. However, having your caregiving paperwork organized — an affidavit, power of attorney, or county caregiver form — can smooth the application process.

If you are assembling the full set of legal documents alongside benefit applications, our West Virginia school and medical consent guide covers the forms, the deadlines, and the financial resources available to you in a single organized reference.

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