It's hard to make ends meet if you are a single mother.
You need to provide the necessities for your little ones, and you have no one to fall back on
but yourself. It can be a lonely road, but if you find the right resources, you can walk
through more confidently. State governments provide many programs
that help single mothers in different ways. Taking advantage of as many programs as
possible will help ease your financial woes and provide more security for you and your
family.
If you've been worrying about how you are going to pay for your family's medical expenses or
go back to school, you need to understand what kinds of government assistance for
single mothers are available. You will be surprised when you discover how many
resources are at your disposal.
State Assistance
If you're a single
mother, there are many state programs that you can apply for simply by visiting your
county Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Some of the programs are not very
well known, and if you get through the entire application process with a caseworker, you
may be pleasantly surprised about the amount of state assistance for
which you qualify. A few of the programs that DHHS usually offers include:
- State medical assistance for you and your
children
- Housing assistance
- Help with utility bills
- Food stamps
When you're at the DHHS office, you will only have to fill out one application to be
considered for every program your state has to offer. This will help your caseworker determine
what programs will apply to you. Ask the caseworker if you qualify for food stamps. This is a pivotal first step that will help you put food
on the table while you're waiting for other aids to come through. Ask your caseworker about any
"energy assistance" programs in your state, too. Many states have these programs, and if
you qualify, the government would subsidize payments for your utility bills.
State Medical Assistance
The blanket application that you fill out with your DHHS caseworker will automatically apply
you for state medical assistance. If you qualify, some of the medical expenses
you may have covered will include:
- Routine doctor visits
- Prescription drug costs
- Immunizations for children
- Emergency and after-hours care
- Mental health care
Remember, you must keep up with all DHHS appointments and submit all documentation your
caseworker asks for to keep your assistance status current. If you fail to show when your case
is up for renewal, you could risk losing your aid altogether.
State Financial Aid
If you are a single mother who wants to return to school, or if you are already in school
and you are worried you may have to drop out, stop and find out what kind of state
assistance is available to you before you take any action.
Make sure you fill out a Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) form before you investigate state programs. Your first goal should be to max
out your federal grant options before you apply for state financial aid. A
Pell Grant is the most common form of federal student aid, and you do not have to repay the
grant. The federal government bases the amount you receive upon your income, so filling out a
FAFSA accurately – and on time – is the first step to receiving financial
assistance.
Your FAFSA is also an important step in receiving state financial aid. The
state awarding agency needs this documentation to award funds to you. In order to obtain
information about the agency in your state, visit the U.S. Department of Education's
website
for a complete listing of state agencies that deal with financial aid to get the money you
need for your education.
Once you contact your state agency, you'll receive information about many different types of
state financial aid. State grants, scholarships for single mothers, work-study programs, and continuing
education programs are just a few of the options for which you may qualify. It can be
overwhelming, but just remember that the more programs you apply for, the more chances you will have to qualify for
government assistance for single mothers.
