Indiana Government Assistance for Single Mothers: SNAP, TANF, HIP, Child Care, Child Support, and Township Help

Indiana government assistance for single mothers by need

No single Indiana program is just for single mothers. Instead, several programs give extra weight to households with children, and a mother raising kids alone often qualifies for more than one at the same time. This table matches common needs to the Indiana program and its 2026 figure.

Poverty-based figures use the 2026 federal guideline for a household of three. Our national guide to government assistance for single mothers explains how federal, state, and county help fit together if you live in another state or are moving.

Starting with one DFR application

FSSA's Division of Family Resources (DFR) decides SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. You do not need three applications. You can apply three ways:

• Online at the FSSA Benefits Portal, where you can upload documents and check your case later.
• By phone at 800-403-0864.
• In person at your county DFR office, where staff can scan papers for you.

Before you start, gather your ID, your children's birth certificates or other proof of age, Social Security numbers for everyone applying, your last 30 days of pay stubs, your lease or a bill showing your address, and any child support you receive. If you pay for child care, bring receipts, because SNAP subtracts child care costs from your income. Our document checklist covers the general list.

DFR will schedule an interview for SNAP and TANF, usually by phone. Many denials come from a missed call or a letter left unopened, so answer unknown numbers for a few days after you apply. Our broader Indiana assistance programs guide covers services for seniors and people with disabilities that this page leaves out.

Groceries: SNAP, Smart SNAP, and WIC

SNAP puts grocery money on your Hoosier Works EBT card each month. From October 2026 through September 2027, a household of three can get up to $808 a month if its gross income is at or below $2,960 a month. Most families get less, because the formula expects about 30% of net income to go toward food. Child care costs, shelter costs, and child support you pay all lower your countable income. Our SNAP calculator estimates your amount. If you have almost no cash and little food, ask for expedited SNAP, which must be issued within seven days if you qualify.

What Smart SNAP changed

Indiana was one of the first states to receive a USDA food restriction waiver. Starting January 1, 2026, Indiana SNAP cannot buy soft drinks or candy. Everything else, including milk, juice, produce, meat, bread, and baby formula, is unchanged. The state calls the change Smart SNAP. Indiana's waiver remains on USDA's active list; a June 2026 court ruling that stopped waivers in four other states did not include Indiana.

SNAP time limits for moms of teenagers

Federal law limits some adults to three months of SNAP in three years unless they work or train 80 hours a month. Since the 2025 federal budget law, that rule can apply to parents whose youngest child is 14 or older. A mom whose youngest is 13 or under is not in that group. If your youngest has turned 14, report your work hours on time and ask DFR about exemptions, such as a health condition.

WIC alongside SNAP

WIC gives pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children under 5 a set list of healthy foods, plus nutrition and breastfeeding support. In Indiana, WIC is a Department of Health program with clinics in every county, and you can reach the state office at 800-522-0874. Under federal rules, families already on SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid are usually income-eligible automatically, according to USDA's WIC eligibility page. You can use WIC and SNAP at the same time, and WIC does not count as income for SNAP.

TANF cash and the IMPACT program

Indiana's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program pays monthly cash to families with children and very low income. For years Indiana's maximum for a family of three sat at $288. The National Center for Children in Poverty's 2025–26 Indiana profile now lists the maximum for three at $513 a month, still well below the poverty line. TANF is on the same DFR application as SNAP.

What single mothers should know about Indiana TANF:

• IMPACT: most adults must take part in IMPACT, the state's employment and training program, unless exempt. IMPACT may help with training costs, work clothes, and transportation to a job.
• Time limit: Indiana limits adult TANF to 24 months, shorter than the federal 60-month lifetime limit, with some exceptions.
• Child support cooperation: as a condition of TANF, you generally must help the state establish paternity and seek child support, unless you have good cause, such as a risk of domestic violence. While you receive TANF, some or all of the support collected may go to the state to repay assistance; ask DFR how Indiana handles it in your case.
• Short-term needs: TANF takes time to approve. For a one-time bill, the township trustee is often faster.

Health coverage for you and your children

Indiana runs Medicaid under several names, and a single-mother household often has members in two of them at once. All are applied for on the DFR application or through HealthCare.gov, any time of year.

• Hoosier Healthwise covers children and pregnant women. Its income limits are higher than for adults, and it includes CHIP for some children in families that earn too much for regular Medicaid.
• Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) covers adults 19 to 64 with income up to about 138% of the federal poverty level. For a mom with two children, that is roughly $37,702 a year using 2026 guidelines.
• If you are pregnant, say so on the application. Pregnancy coverage has its own, higher limit and covers prenatal care, delivery, and care after birth.

If your income is too high for Medicaid, your children may still qualify for CHIP, and you can shop for a plan with tax credits at HealthCare.gov. Coverage for children usually continues even if a parent loses HIP.

Do single mothers have to meet HIP work rules?

The 2025 federal budget law requires adults in Medicaid expansion programs, which in Indiana means HIP, to show 80 hours a month of work, job training, school, or community service, starting by January 1, 2027. Indiana passed its own HIP changes in 2025 through Senate Bill 2, and FSSA plans to phase in the federal rule for HIP members ages 19 to 64 starting January 1, 2027.

The key point for single mothers is the exemption list. Under the federal law, people who are exempt include:

• Parents and caretakers of a child 13 or younger.
• Parents and caretakers of a person with a disability.
• Pregnant and postpartum women.
• People who are medically frail, which includes many people with serious health conditions or substance use disorders.

So a mom whose youngest child is 13 or under should be exempt from the HIP hours rule. Once your youngest turns 14, you may need to show hours. Either way, expect HIP renewals every six months for renewals after December 31, 2026, and keep pay stubs or school records handy. Make sure DFR has your current address, phone, and email so you do not miss a notice.

Child care vouchers and On My Way Pre-K

For many single mothers, child care decides whether a job is possible. Indiana's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher helps working parents, students, and parents in job training pay a licensed or registered provider. FSSA's Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning runs it through local intake agents, and families may owe a copay based on income.

The program has been tight since Indiana stopped issuing new vouchers in December 2024, when pandemic-era money ran out. New vouchers resumed in 2026 with extra state funding and early priority for certain groups, such as families experiencing homelessness and children in the child welfare system. Indiana Public Media reported in August 2026 that the waitlist still topped 29,000 children. Apply anyway: a place on the list is how you get a voucher when funding opens up.

While you wait, look at:

• On My Way Pre-K, which pays for a year of pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds from low-income families.
• Head Start and Early Head Start, free programs for low-income children from birth to age 5.
• Before- and after-school programs run by schools, YMCAs, and Boys & Girls Clubs, many with sliding fees.

Child support through the state program

Indiana's child support program is run by the Department of Child Services (DCS) Child Support Bureau, working with county prosecutors' offices. It can locate the other parent, establish paternity, set up a court order, collect payments through wage withholding, and enforce an order that is not being paid. DCS says signing up for services is free.

To get started, enroll through DCS or your county prosecutor's child support office. The Child Support Customer Service line is 800-840-8757 for questions about an existing case. Bring the other parent's name, last known address and employer if you have them, your child's birth certificate, and any existing court order. If you receive TANF, DFR refers your case automatically.

If you are worried about your safety, tell DFR and the child support office. You can ask for a good-cause exception and for your address to be kept confidential.

Energy bills, rent, and township assistance

Housing and utility costs are often where a single-income household falls behind. Indiana has three main tools:

• Energy Assistance Program (EAP). Indiana's version of federal LIHEAP is run by IHCDA through local community action agencies. For 2026–27, applications are taken from October 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Households that apply are protected from disconnection during the winter moratorium, December 1 through March 15. The IHCDA energy assistance page lists providers and income limits.
• Township assistance. Under Indiana Code Title 12, Article 20, every township trustee must take and investigate requests for help with basic needs, such as shelter, utilities, and food, and provide temporary aid when an emergency is found. Help usually goes straight to the landlord or utility. Each township publishes yearly income standards, and the trustee may ask you to apply for other programs too.
• Rental vouchers. Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing are run by local housing authorities, with long waiting lists. Get on any list that is open, even if you need help sooner.

Indiana 211 keeps a current list of charities, churches, and community action agencies that help with rent, deposits, and utility bills in your county.

Tax credits that reward work

Single mothers who work can often get more back at tax time than they paid in. File as head of household and claim these credits:

The IRS lists the current Child Tax Credit and EITC rules. Free tax preparation is available through IRS-certified VITA sites, which 211 can help you find. Tax refunds do not count as income for SNAP or Medicaid in the month you receive them.

A sample first month for an Indianapolis mom

Here is how the pieces might fit for a mother of a 3-year-old and a 9-year-old in Marion County who just lost her job. This is an illustration, not a promise of any amount.

1. Day 1: she files for unemployment and submits one DFR application for SNAP, TANF, and health coverage, asking for expedited SNAP.
2. Week 1: she answers DFR's interview call, gets SNAP within seven days, and books a WIC appointment for her 3-year-old.
3. Week 2: her electric company sends a disconnect notice, so she applies for EAP through her community action agency and calls her township trustee with the notice.
4. Week 3: she enrolls with the child support program to establish an order for the children's father.
5. Week 4: she adds her name to the CCDF waitlist so child care is ready when she finds work. Because her youngest is under 14, she is exempt from the HIP hours rule in 2027.

Related guides

• Indiana hardship relief
• Indiana utility relief programs
• Indiana rent relief
• WIC program eligibility

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Program rules and amounts are set by FSSA, the Indiana Department of Health, DCS, IHCDA, township trustees, and federal agencies. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the State of Indiana or any government agency.