Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Texas

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Voice: Plain, honest, practical. No false comfort. No condescension. She made a choice. Honor it and give her what she needs.

META BLOCK:

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Texas | InmateAid

Before anything else: the TANF grandparent payment in Texas is **one time only**. It is a one-time cash payment of $1,000. It does not repeat. It does not increase if more children move in. It is given once, regardless of circumstances.

Many Texas grandparents expect monthly TANF payments and are surprised when the payment stops. The $1,000 is the Texas TANF benefit for grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings age 25 or older who are caring for a child already receiving TANF. It is not monthly income. Named here so there are no surprises.

There is also a separate **TANF child-only grant** -- ongoing monthly payments based on the child's income, not the grandparent's. The grandparent's income is not counted for child-only TANF. These are two different programs and many families qualify for both.

For everything else -- Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, child-only TANF -- the portal is **YourTexasBenefits.com**. Apply online, check status, and manage benefits from one place.

For grandparents whose grandchildren are in DFPS (Department of Family and Protective Services) conservatorship and who have become formally verified kinship caregivers, there is monthly reimbursement of up to **$12.67 per day per child** (approximately $380/month). A policy advocacy organization, Every Texan, has noted this is significantly less than the $27.07/day (~$812/month) that unrelated foster parents receive -- a disparity worth knowing.

For grandparents who go all the way through the foster care pathway to **Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC)**, the **Permanency Care Assistance (PCA)** program pays **$400-$545 per month** per child. That pathway requires becoming a foster parent, caring for the child as a foster parent for at least six months, signing a Permanency Care Agreement, and going to court.

Texas is a large state with a complex system. This article maps it.

You did not plan for this. You raised your children. You got to the other side of it. And then your child was incarcerated and the grandchildren needed somewhere to go. You said yes.

The Decision You Already Made

You already made the hardest decision. The grandchildren are with you. Everything else in this article is about making that workable.

A few things to understand about your position in Texas right now:

Go to **YourTexasBenefits.com**. Apply for Medicaid/CHIP, SNAP, and child-only TANF. These three require no DFPS involvement and no legal custody.

Apply for the one-time $1,000 TANF grandparent grant if you qualify (grandparent/great-grandparent/aunt/uncle/sibling, age 25+, child receiving TANF). Know it is one-time.

Get a notarized POA from the incarcerated parent through TDCJ notary services. Contact the facility case manager. This covers school enrollment and medical care while you pursue more formal legal status.

If DFPS placed the grandchildren: contact your DFPS kinship development worker. Ask about formal kinship verification, DFPS day care (CCMS), and the Permanency Care Assistance pathway.

Texas TANF for Grandparents: Two Pathways

**Pathway 1: TANF Child-Only Grant (Ongoing)**

Available to grandparents without DFPS involvement:

- Grandparent's income and resources are **not counted**

- Based on the child's income (child support, survivors' benefits reviewed)

- Ongoing monthly payments

- Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com

Even if you make too much to qualify for TANF yourself, the child-only grant may be available based on the child's income alone. If denied, you can appeal through the Texas Benefits website, by phone, or in person at a benefits office.

**Pathway 2: TANF Grandparent Grant ($1,000 one-time)**

For grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters age 25 or older who are caring for a child that already receives TANF.

- **One-time payment of $1,000**

- Given only once -- no matter how many children live in the home, no matter if other related children move in later

- This is the lifetime maximum for this grant

- Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com

This is not monthly income. This is a one-time payment. Know this before you apply so the amount and frequency are clear.

Both pathways can potentially be accessed; verify current eligibility with a HHSC caseworker or a kinship navigator.

Legal Authority: What It Is and How to Get It in Texas

**Power of Attorney**

A notarized parental POA from the incarcerated parent gives you authority for school enrollment and medical care. TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager. Texas law allows a POA to cover specific decisions for minor children.

**Temporary Managing Conservatorship and Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC)**

Texas uses the term "conservatorship" where other states use "custody." Key terms:

- **Temporary Managing Conservatorship (TMC)**: a court-ordered temporary relationship; DFPS holds this when children are removed

- **Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC)**: court-appointed permanent caregiver; continues until the child turns 18 or is emancipated; can be granted to a relative, close family friend, or DFPS

PMC is the primary long-term legal arrangement for Texas grandparents raising grandchildren. With PMC, you have legal authority to make decisions for the child.

Texas law provides that grandparents may seek PMC in certain circumstances. Contact Texas Legal Services Center (texaslawhelp.org) or Lone Star Legal Aid (lonestarlegal.org) for free civil legal help.

**Permanency Care Assistance (PCA)**

For grandparents pursuing PMC through the DFPS foster care pathway:

- Must first become foster parents (training, home study, background checks)

- Care for the child as foster parents for at least six months

- Negotiate and sign a Permanency Care Agreement with DFPS

- Go to court to obtain PMC

- Monthly payments: **$400-$545 per month** per child depending on the child's needs

- This is the highest monthly financial support available to kinship caregivers in Texas

Contact DFPS at dfps.texas.gov/Child_Protection/Kinship_Care/PCA.asp.

**PMC Annual Payment ($500)**

Grandparents and kinship caregivers who obtain PMC are also eligible for an annual $500 payment to help with child-related expenses. Available for up to three years or until the child turns 18.

**Guardianship (Probate Court)**

Standard guardianship is also available through Texas Probate Court. This is separate from the DFPS conservatorship pathway and does not automatically link to Permanency Care Assistance.

**Adoption**

Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. DFPS can provide information on adoption assistance.

Money: The Full Texas Picture

**Child-Only TANF** -- ongoing; grandparent income not counted; apply at YourTexasBenefits.com.

**TANF Grandparent Grant** -- one-time $1,000; grandparents/great-grandparents/aunts/uncles/siblings age 25+; child must be receiving TANF; apply at YourTexasBenefits.com.

**Kinship Foster Reimbursement (DFPS verified)** -- up to $12.67/day per child (~$380/month); for formally verified kinship foster parents in DFPS conservatorship cases.

**Permanency Care Assistance (PCA)** -- $400-$545/month; requires foster care pathway to PMC; contact DFPS.

**PMC Annual Payment** -- $500/year for up to 3 years; for grandparents with PMC.

**Medicaid / CHIP** -- children in kinship care generally eligible based on income; STAR Health Medicaid for children in DFPS custody. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)** -- apply at YourTexasBenefits.com. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit.

**Child Care Management Services (CCMS)** -- subsidized child care for DFPS-verified kinship caregivers; requires working 40+ hours per week outside the home; child must be kindergarten or younger (school year) or 13 or younger (summer/spring break). Contact your DFPS kinship development worker.

**Social Security** -- if the incarcerated parent was working before arrest, the grandchildren may be eligible for Social Security dependent benefits. Call 1-800-772-1213. SSI may be available for grandchildren with disabilities.

YourTexasBenefits.com: The Starting Point

For grandparents in Texas raising grandchildren outside the DFPS system (informal arrangements), **YourTexasBenefits.com** is the primary benefits portal:

- Apply for Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and TANF child-only

- Check application and case status

- Manage benefits online or through the app

- Screener to determine what you may qualify for before applying

Apply online, by phone, or in person at your local HHSC benefits office. The website has a "Find an Office" tool to locate your nearest office.

For grandparents with grandchildren in DFPS conservatorship: coordinate with your DFPS kinship development worker alongside YourTexasBenefits.com.

**Kinship Navigators**

Texas has regional kinship navigator programs that help families navigate benefits and DFPS. ACH Child and Family Services operates a Kinship Navigator Program in Tarrant, Parker, Palo Pinto, Johnson, and Hill Counties (Fort Worth area). Other programs serve other regions. Dial 2-1-1 to find kinship resources in your specific county.

**STAR Health Medicaid and Health Passport**

Children in DFPS custody receive STAR Health Medicaid, which covers medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and prescriptions. The Health Passport system allows caregivers to find providers in the STAR Health network and track the child's health history.

Texas's Tribal Context

Texas has three federally recognized tribes:

- **Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas** (Polk County, East Texas Piney Woods)

- **Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas** (Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Southwest Texas)

- **Ysleta del Sur Pueblo** (El Paso County, far West Texas)

ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) applies when child welfare proceedings involve children who are enrolled members or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe. If the grandchildren are enrolled tribal members or eligible, confirm ICWA applies and contact your tribe's social services department.

The School Question

With a POA, PMC, or other legal custody arrangement, school enrollment in Texas is straightforward.

Without legal authority: use the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Texas schools must immediately enroll children in unstable housing situations, including children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.

For children with IEPs, you will need legal authority or signed parental authorization from the incarcerated parent to participate in planning meetings. TDCJ facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

Get a notarized parental POA from the incarcerated parent through TDCJ notary services. Contact the facility case manager.

Apply for Medicaid or CHIP for the grandchildren at YourTexasBenefits.com. Medicaid and CHIP enrollment do not require legal authority -- they require documentation of Texas residency and the child's identity.

Texas's Geographic Reality

Texas spans 773 miles north to south and 790 miles east to west -- larger than many countries. Houston (Harris County) is the most populous city. San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso -- the major metros hold most of the population. West Texas, the Panhandle, and South Texas's brush country are vast and sparsely populated with few local services.

TDCJ operates more than 100 prison units across the state, many in remote rural areas. The Ferguson Unit (Midway, Madison County), Eastham Unit (Lovelady, Houston County), and many others are hours from major cities. For a Houston family visiting a unit in West Texas: potentially 8+ hours. Phone calls through ICS Corrections / GTL -- which you control -- are often the primary connection.

YourTexasBenefits.com is specifically designed to serve all 254 Texas counties. Kinship navigator programs vary by region. Dial 2-1-1 for county-specific resource referrals.

What She Is Carrying That He Cannot See

You did not plan for this stage of your life. The grandchildren arrived and with them came school forms, doctor appointments, someone to be home, someone to sit with a child who is afraid.

You are also carrying your feelings about your child who is incarcerated. Texas has been hit by opioid and methamphetamine crises across urban and rural communities alike -- from the Rio Grande Valley to the Permian Basin to East Texas. The incarceration that follows does not end the parent-child relationship. It changes it.

The kinship navigator programs that operate in Texas, the Area Agencies on Aging across the state, the faith-based networks in Texas communities -- these exist to support families doing what you are doing. Dial 2-1-1 to find what is in your county.

Talking to the Grandchildren About Where Their Parent Is

The children know something is wrong. Silence does not protect them.

Use honest, age-appropriate language. For a young child: "Your dad made a mistake and he has to stay somewhere else while he learns from it. You are safe and I am here." For an older child: "Your mom is in prison. She did something against the law and a judge decided she needs to be there for a while. She loves you. She is not in danger."

Do not make promises about when the parent will be home that you cannot keep. Let the children have their feelings. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways: photos, letters, phone calls.

TDCJ phone calls go through ICS Corrections / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.

Medicaid and CHIP cover mental health services for children. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor for a referral or the child's primary care provider.

Your Relationship With Your Incarcerated Child

Your feelings about your child are complicated. You are raising their children because they cannot. Both things are true.

What the grandchildren need: to see that you are not punishing their parent through them.

What you need: a place to hold the complicated feelings that is not in front of the grandchildren. The kinship support groups in your region, a therapist, a pastor, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Go to YourTexasBenefits.com. Apply for Medicaid/CHIP, SNAP, and child-only TANF. If you qualify (grandparent/great-grandparent/aunt/uncle/sibling, age 25+, child receiving TANF), also apply for the one-time $1,000 grandparent grant. Know the grant is one-time.

Get a notarized POA from the incarcerated parent through TDCJ notary services. Contact the facility case manager.

Enroll grandchildren in school using the POA. Use McKinney-Vento if needed.

If DFPS placed the grandchildren: contact your DFPS kinship development worker. Ask about formal kinship verification, monthly reimbursement ($12.67/day), CCMS child care (if working 40+ hours/week), and the Permanency Care Assistance pathway.

If you want to pursue the full PCA pathway ($400-$545/month): become a foster parent, care for the child as a foster parent for at least six months, then seek PMC. Contact DFPS. This is the highest monthly support available.

Start the legal custody or guardianship process. Contact Texas Legal Services Center (texaslawhelp.org) or Lone Star Legal Aid (lonestarlegal.org) for free civil legal help.

If grandchildren are enrolled tribal members: contact your tribe's social services and confirm ICWA applies.

Dial 2-1-1 for county-specific kinship resources and community referrals.

Take care of yourself. The kinship navigator programs and support groups in your region are there. Find them.

FAQ

**Is the Texas TANF grandparent payment monthly or one-time?** The TANF grandparent grant for grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings (age 25+) caring for a child receiving TANF is a **one-time payment of $1,000**. It does not repeat regardless of how many children you care for. A separate child-only TANF grant (based on the child's income, not the grandparent's) provides ongoing monthly payments and may also be available.

**What is the Permanency Care Assistance (PCA) program?** Texas's highest monthly financial support for kinship caregivers: $400-$545 per month per child. Requires becoming a licensed foster parent, caring for the child as a foster parent for at least six months, signing a Permanency Care Agreement with DFPS, and obtaining Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC) through court. Contact DFPS at dfps.texas.gov.

**What is Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC)?** Texas's legal term for a long-term court-appointed caregiver arrangement. PMC gives a grandparent (or other caregiver) the legal authority to care for and make decisions for a child. It continues until the child turns 18 or is emancipated unless changed by a court order. It is not adoption -- parental rights may not be terminated.

**What is the kinship foster reimbursement rate?** Formally verified kinship foster parents in DFPS cases receive up to $12.67 per day per child (approximately $380/month). Note that unrelated foster parents receive $27.07/day (~$812/month). The Permanency Care Assistance program pays more ($400-$545/month) for those who go through the PMC pathway.

**What is YourTexasBenefits.com?** Texas's benefits portal for Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and TANF. Apply online, check status, manage benefits, and use the screening tool to identify what programs you may qualify for. Also has a mobile app. Find your nearest benefits office through the website's office locator.

**Can I enroll my grandchildren in school without legal authority?** Yes. Under McKinney-Vento, Texas schools must immediately enroll children in unstable housing situations including those living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. A notarized parental POA from the incarcerated parent (through TDCJ) provides more comprehensive enrollment authority. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.

**How do I talk to the grandchildren about their parent being in prison?** Use honest, age-appropriate language without promises about when the parent will be home. Let the children have feelings. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, TDCJ phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. Medicaid and CHIP cover children's mental health services; ask the school counselor or primary care provider for a referral.

[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: Texas inmate search, send money, Texas reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: everytexan.org February 26 2025 (Texas grandparents great-grandparents one-time cash payment $1,000 only once no matter how many children; kinship caregivers eligible monthly reimbursement DFPS formally verified kinship foster parents; as of 2024 kinship foster parents receive up to $12.67 per day per child approximately $380 per month; foster parents Texas receive $27.07 per day per child approximately $812 per month; kinship caregivers obtaining PMC eligible annual $500 payment child-related expenses up to three years or child turns 18; many Texas children cared for by extended family close friends parents unable to; most informally arranged without state authorities; informal kinship caregivers save state millions foster care costs; despite vital role struggle financial demands often without access meaningful state assistance; TANF designed help children remain homes or relatives however Texas program falls short); texaslawhelp.org January 9 2023 updated July 5 2025 TANF benefits grandparents (TANF federal program money help needy families dependent children; grandparents primary caregivers payees dependent grandchildren eligible one-time TANF payment; if dependent grandchild lives with you may be eligible one-time payment $1,000; TANF child-only grandchild only grandparents might get TANF payments grandchild without review grandparents income resources income child gets sources child support survivors' benefits reviewed; what it offers once in a lifetime payment $1,000 certain relatives caring one or more related children help given relative only one time no matter how many other related children live home other children move in; help raising children related to you brochure; who is it for grandparents aunts uncles sisters brothers great-grandparents great-aunts great-uncles care child gets TANF 25 or older); dfps.texas.gov/Child_Protection/Kinship_Care/pca.asp (Permanency Care Assistance financial support kinship caregivers permanent home children can't reunited parents; in most cases kinship caregivers relatives aunts uncles grandparents; monthly payments $400-$545 per month depending child's needs; apply become foster parents; care child foster parents at least six months; negotiate sign Permanency Care Agreement; go to court get legal custody child); achservices.org Kinship Navigator FAQ (PMC permanent managing conservatorship legal term Texas child custody cases judge appoints person legally responsible child without adopting continues until child turns 18 or emancipated unless changed court order DFPS relative close family friend foster parent; TMC temporary managing conservatorship court-ordered temporary always DFPS in IMPACT; income caregiver income and resources count TANF grandchild income noted; child-only caregiver income does not count toward eligibility; apply YourTexasBenefits.com); achservices.org kinship navigator how to (TANF payments grandchild only grandparents might get TANF payments without review grandparents income; once in lifetime payment $1,000 certain relatives caring one or more related children given relative one time only; who is it for grandparents aunts uncles sisters brothers 25 or older; child has been approved receive TANF; TANF child-only grant caregiver income not included grant calculation; child gets Medicaid CHIP regardless income; one time grandparent grant child only TANF based child's income; if denied can appeal Texas Benefits website app phone office); hopecottage.org July 2024 (STAR Health Medicaid pays most medical dental vision behavioral health prescriptions children DFPS custody; Health Passport system find providers STAR Health network track child's health information; YourTexasBenefits.com manage benefits app; subsidized child care available Child Care Management Services CCMS; kinship caregivers receiving CCMS must work at least 40 hours per week outside home; full-time students volunteers do not qualify; child kindergarten or younger school year or 13 or younger summer spring break); dfps.texas.gov CPS handbook 6600 (TANF Grandparent Grant general eligibility child approved receive TANF benefit usually child-only grant caregiver income not included child only; DFPS day care children DFPS conservatorship eligible kinship families; eligibility day care formal approval DFPS sign Kinship Caregiver Agreement Form 0695 work outside home 40 hours per week; day care funds available caseworker submit request regional day care liaison); grandfamilies.org TX 2021 (Subsidized Guardianship Texas approved Title IV-E Permanency Care Assistance Program; GrandFacts kinship caregivers case management information referral educational workshops legal issues; PAL parents addicted loved ones; Alabama-Coushatta Kickapoo Ysleta del Sur Pueblo three tribes); texaslawhelp.org kinship care October 31 2025 (kinship care child cared relatives family friends not safe live with parents; nonrelated person close relationship fictive kin; kinship caregivers preferred placement conservatorship DFPS; relatives references proof marriage divorce home study all household members); TDCJ ICS Corrections GTL phone; TDCJ notary services; YourTexasBenefits.com; dfps.texas.gov; hhs.texas.gov; texaslawhelp.org; lonestarlegal.org Lone Star Legal Aid; 2-1-1 Texas; McKinney-Vento school enrollment; Social Security 1-800-772-1213. NOTE for Poorwa: verify one-time $1,000 TANF grandparent grant still current Texas -- last edited July 2025 texaslawhelp.org; verify TANF child-only grandparent income not counted ongoing still current Texas; verify YourTexasBenefits.com still Texas benefits portal; verify PCA $400-$545/month still current dfps.texas.gov; verify kinship foster reimbursement $12.67/day still current 2025-2026; verify PMC annual $500 payment up to 3 years still current; verify CCMS 40+ hours/week requirement still current; verify STAR Health Medicaid still DFPS custody children health coverage; verify texaslawhelp.org kinship care article still current October 2025; verify lonestarlegal.org current; verify three TX federally recognized tribes current; verify TDCJ ICS Corrections GTL phone provider; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; len/character check before publish.]