DeSoto County public assistance — Mississippi MDHS programs guide
DeSoto County is one of the fastest-growing parts of Mississippi — a logistics and retail corridor packed with distribution centers, big-box stores, and service jobs that pay wages that often don't keep pace with what it now costs to live there. This page explains what the Mississippi Department of Human Services offers DeSoto County residents, who qualifies for each program, and where to apply.
The DeSoto County MDHS office is at 3210 Highway 51 South in Hernando. The direct client line is (662) 449-9396. Applications can also be started online at https://www.access.ms.gov/consumer/home/ or by calling the statewide SNAP and TANF client services line at 800-948-3050.
Government food assistance — SNAP
SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, still widely called food stamps — provides a monthly benefit loaded onto an EBT card that works like a debit card at grocery stores across DeSoto County and throughout Mississippi. The card covers most food items: produce, meat, dairy, bread, canned goods. Local food pantries in the county can also be used at the same time for other options - see the DeSoto County food pantry page. Benefits are recalculated each year at recertification based on current household income and size.
A common misconception is that working disqualifies a household. It doesn't. Many people employed in DeSoto County's warehouses, restaurants, and retail corridors qualify for SNAP based on their wages even while working full time. If a household has almost no money for food right now, tell the caseworker that when you apply — households in immediate crisis may qualify for expedited benefits processed within seven days rather than the standard timeline. Apply at the Hernando office, online at access.ms.gov, or call 800-948-3050.
Monthly cash help — TANF
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program provides monthly cash payments to low-income families with children. The money isn't restricted to specific purchases — it can go toward rent, utilities, groceries, clothing, transportation, or other household needs. Single parents and caretaker relatives raising children who are not their own are both eligible to apply. Pregnant women approaching their due date may also qualify.
TANF is designed as a temporary benefit rather than long-term support. Benefits are available for no more than 60 months over a lifetime, and most adults receiving TANF who are able to work are required to participate in employment or training activities. The benefit amount is calculated based on what the household earns and how many people are in it. DeSoto County's housing and child care costs have climbed sharply as the county has grown, and for families caught between a low-wage job and those rising expenses, TANF can provide critical breathing room while a more stable situation is built.
Getting to work — TANF Work Program
Adults receiving TANF who are determined able to work are enrolled in the TANF Work Program, which pairs each participant with a case manager to build a personal employment plan. The plan might involve job readiness training, GED completion, short-term vocational courses at a community college, or active job placement assistance. A monthly transportation stipend is available to help cover commuting costs which may be a major benefit for struggling people. For anyone looking for other options to pay for gas or transportation, see the NHPB free gasoline voucher page.
Participants with children can access the Child Care Payment Program at the same time, which matters for anyone whose ability to work or train depends on having reliable child care lined up. The TANF Work Program is coordinated with WIN Job Centers run by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Your MDHS caseworker in Hernando will connect you with the right location.
Child care help for working parents — CCPP
The Child Care Payment Program can help cover the cost of licensed day care for children in households where a parent or caretaker is working, in school, or in job training. The program pays part or all of the provider's fee depending on household income, hours worked or in school, and the number of children needing care. Eligible providers include licensed child care centers and registered family home providers.
Demand in DeSoto County routinely exceeds what the program can fund at any given time, and most applicants are placed on a waiting list. Priority as slots open goes to the lowest-income households, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care. Families enrolled in the TANF Work Program have a direct path to child care support during training and employment.
The statewide CCPP line is 800-877-7882. For local help navigating options and the application process, the Hernando Resource and Referral Center at 135 W. Center Street in Hernando can be reached at (662) 404-4124.
Medicaid health coverage
MDHS screens applicants for Medicaid, Mississippi's health insurance program for qualifying low-income residents. Mississippi has not expanded Medicaid under the federal law that broadened eligibility in many other states, so coverage here is limited to specific groups: children, pregnant women, parents and caretaker relatives of minor children who meet income requirements, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities. If you don't fit one of those categories, a caseworker can still explain what other options may exist.
In many cases, applicants are screened for Medicaid at the same time they apply for SNAP or TANF — the intake process often covers all three, so there's no need to make separate trips for each program.
How and where to apply
The DeSoto County MDHS office at 3210 Highway 51 South in Hernando handles applications for SNAP, TANF, the TANF Work Program, CCPP, and Medicaid screening. Apply in person at that office, start an application online at https://www.access.ms.gov/consumer/home/, or call the statewide client services line at 800-948-3050. For child care questions specifically, call 800-877-7882 or contact the Hernando Resource and Referral Center at (662) 404-4124. Call ahead to confirm current intake hours before making a trip.
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