Texas HHSC public assistance programs — SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, and more
This Texas government benefits guide explains the main assistance programs available through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), who may qualify for help, and how residents in any part of the state can start an application. Programs include SNAP food benefits, Medicaid health coverage, TANF cash assistance, WIC nutrition support, CHIP for children, and programs specific to Texas such as Healthy Texas Women and Early Childhood Intervention services.
This page covers the benefits that are offered — a plain-English guide to how they work and how to apply. No matter which of Texas's 254 counties you live in — from the Rio Grande Valley farm towns and Permian Basin oil communities to rural ranching counties and the state's major metros — government assistance programs exist.
SNAP food benefits — monthly grocery assistance on a Lone Star Card
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is Texas's largest food assistance program, reaching millions of households every month. Benefits load onto a Lone Star Card that works like a debit card at most grocery stores and discount retailers across the state, and can also be used to order groceries online through participating retailers.
SNAP is open to more Texas households than many people realize. Working families, single adults, seniors, people with disabilities, and households with children can all potentially qualify, provided income and resources are within program limits. Being employed does not disqualify someone — many hourly workers in agriculture, food service, retail, and domestic work across Texas receive SNAP while earning wages. SNAP and other programs like Medicaid or TANF can be applied for at the same time through a single application.
If the household is running out of food now, expedited SNAP processing is designed to reach a decision within seven days. Tell the caseworker at intake that the need is urgent - see the guide to expedited SNAP.
HHSC also administers SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T), which connects work-eligible SNAP recipients with job readiness training, skills education, and job placement support. For certain recipients, SNAP E&T participation satisfies work requirements tied to receiving benefits.
WIC — food packages, nutrition education, and health referrals for women and young children
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children provides monthly food packages, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and health care referrals to pregnant women, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children under 5. Benefits load onto a dedicated WIC card accepted only for a specific list of approved nutritious foods — eggs, milk, whole grains, fresh produce, beans, peanut butter, infant formula, and baby food among them.
WIC also provides free breastfeeding supplies for qualifying mothers, cooking and nutrition classes, guidance on food budgeting, and connections to local health care providers. WIC and SNAP serve different purposes and can both be active for the same household at the same time. To find the WIC clinic serving your area, call 2-1-1 or search at hhs.texas.gov.
TANF cash assistance — monthly payments and a one-time emergency option
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families provides monthly cash to low-income families with children, with no restriction on what the money can be used for — rent, utilities, transportation, groceries, clothing, and other household necessities all qualify. TANF carries a 60-month lifetime limit for adults, and most adult recipients who are able to work are required to participate in employment or training activities as a condition of receiving benefits.
Texas also offers One-Time TANF (OTTANF), a single emergency payment available to households in acute crisis who may not qualify for — or want — ongoing monthly TANF. This is a separate, less-widely-known option worth asking about specifically. There is also a One-Time TANF for Relatives payment for certain households where a relative is caring for children who are not their own. The funds may help with everything from housing costs to transportation or utilities - which many people struggling to pay. For even more options around electric, see guide to utility bill help in Texas from companies.
Medicaid health coverage — what Texas covers and who qualifies
Medicaid provides free or very low-cost health coverage to qualifying Texans including children, pregnant women, parents and caretaker relatives of children on Medicaid, people with disabilities, and low-income seniors. Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which means the eligibility rules are narrower than in most states. Working-age adults without children or a qualifying disability generally do not qualify regardless of income. Anyone unsure whether they qualify should ask HHSC directly — the rules have specific exceptions that aren't obvious.
Most Medicaid recipients receive coverage through one of HHSC's managed care programs. STAR serves children and families. STAR+PLUS serves adults with disabilities and seniors who need both acute and long-term care. STAR Kids is a dedicated program for children and youth under 21 with disabilities, with a personal service coordinator included. Texas Health Steps provides free preventive medical and dental checkups, immunizations, and prescriptions for Medicaid-enrolled children and young adults under 21.
For seniors with Medicare who also have low income, HHSC administers the Medicare Savings Program, which can pay Medicare Part A and Part B premiums — a significant reduction in monthly costs for people on fixed incomes.
Non-emergency medical transportation (rides to doctor visits, dental appointments, and pharmacies) is available to Medicaid recipients through HHSC. Call 1-877-633-8747.
CHIP — low-cost health coverage for children whose families earn above the Medicaid limit
The Children's Health Insurance Program covers children in families whose income is too high for Medicaid but who cannot afford private insurance. CHIP includes dental coverage, and a dental-only CHIP option is available for children who already have medical coverage but need dental. We also have a list of Texas income based dental clinics that can be used by residents on CHIP. Covered services include doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, vision, mental health care, and preventive screenings.
Most children enrolled in CHIP receive services through a managed care health plan. CHIP and Medicaid applications are handled through the same process at HHSC — one application covers both. Apply through YourTexasBenefits.com or call 2-1-1.
Healthy Texas Women — reproductive and preventive health care for low-income women
Healthy Texas Women is an HHSC-administered program that provides family planning and preventive health services to low-income women ages 18 to 44 who do not qualify for full Medicaid. Services include birth control counseling and supplies, cancer screenings (cervical and breast), sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and well-woman exams. There is no premium or cost to eligible participants.
Women who are pregnant may also qualify for extended postpartum Medicaid coverage through HHSC, which provides health care coverage for up to 12 months after delivery — including mental health care. For Healthy Texas Women information, call 1-855-927-2747 or visit hhs.texas.gov.
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) — developmental services for young children with disabilities or delays
ECI is an HHSC-administered program for children from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities. It provides evaluations, therapy, and family support services at no cost to qualifying families, delivered in natural settings such as the home or child care. Services are tailored to each child and can include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vision services, and family training.
ECI connects families to resources beyond the program as children approach age 3 and transition to school-based services through local school districts. To find the ECI program serving your area or to request an evaluation, call the HHSC ECI Ombudsman line at 877-787-8999 or search at hhs.texas.gov.
How to apply statewide
YourTexasBenefits.com (website: https://yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/Home) is the primary online portal for applying for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, and TANF and for managing an existing case. The Your Texas Benefits mobile app (available on iOS and Android) provides the same access around the clock.
To reach a caseworker by phone, dial 2-1-1 (select language, then option 2). If 2-1-1 doesn't connect from your location, call 877-541-7905. In-person help is available at HHSC offices across all 254 counties — find the nearest one using the office locator at https://www.hhs.texas.gov/. Paper applications (Form H1010) can be mailed to HHSC at P.O. Box 149027, Austin TX 78714-9027, or faxed to 877-447-2839.
For Lone Star Card questions — balance, PIN, or a lost or stolen card — call the Lone Star Help Desk at 800-777-7328.
Applications for SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF are often handled at the same intake. Ask about every program that may apply to your household when you first contact HHSC.
Local county programs
Some Texas counties layer additional programs on top of what HHSC offers statewide — including county-run energy assistance, indigent health care programs, housing authorities, and veterans services. Select a county below for local office information on these benefits and county-specific resources.
Bell County
Bexar County
Brazoria County
Brazos County
Cameron County
Collin County
Dallas County
Denton County
El Paso County
Fort Bend County
Hidalgo County
Lubbock County
Nueces County
Tarrant County
Williamson County
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