A Plain-English Guide to Benefits and Long-Term Assistance from Virginia Beach Department of Human Services
For residents of Virginia Beach facing financial hardship, the first instinct is often to look for immediate help — and there are good options for that through food pantries, nonprofit charities, and emergency assistance programs. What this page covers is something different. The Virginia Beach Department of Human Services (DHS) is the city's gateway to longer-term public benefits — SNAP food assistance, Medicaid, energy help, and cash aid programs — the kind of support that builds stability over time rather than addressing a crisis overnight.
- NOTE: Government programs take applications, caseworker interviews, and processing time. If you need immediate help, see the main Virginia Beach area assistance program page. Understanding what they offer, and what makes Virginia Beach's version distinct from a generic state office, is what this page is for.
DHS handles applications at two locations. The main office is at 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23452. A satellite location operates at the Housing Resource Center, 104 N. Witchduck Rd., Suite 316. The benefits customer call center number is (757) 385-4306, and the main department line is (757) 385-3200. You can also apply for most programs online through CommonHelp at https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/, which allows you to screen for eligibility, submit an application, check benefit status, and report changes around the clock without visiting the office in person. For phone applications, call (855) 635-4370.
What makes Virginia Beach DHS structurally different
Most localities in Virginia run a standalone Department of Social Services that handles benefits and protective services — and nothing else. Virginia Beach made a different choice. Its Department of Human Services is a merged agency combining social services, behavioral health, and developmental services under one organizational umbrella.
In practical terms, this matters to people seeking help: a caseworker processing your SNAP or TANF application operates in the same department as staff who handle mental health referrals, substance use recovery, crisis response, and services for people with intellectual disabilities. When multiple issues are affecting a household at once, a single department can make it easier to get connected across those needs without being shuffled between separate agencies.
Virginia Beach is also one of the largest military communities in the country — home to Naval Air Station Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, and a short distance from Naval Station Norfolk. Active-duty service members typically access benefits through military channels, but veterans and military families often intersect with the state benefit system, particularly for Medicaid, SNAP during transitions between service and civilian employment, and energy assistance. If you're a veteran or military family member unsure whether DHS programs apply to your situation, the short answer is that Virginia state programs are available to eligible residents regardless of military background, and some circumstances — like discharge transitions or disability — may expand your options.
SNAP — food assistance
SNAP provides monthly benefits loaded onto a Virginia EBT card for purchasing food at grocery stores and authorized retailers. It is the most widely used program DHS administers and the most straightforward to understand. Benefits are sized to household income and family size, issued monthly, and used like a debit card for food purchases. Seeds and plants to grow food at home are also covered; prepared hot meals, alcohol, tobacco, and non-food items are not. For other options, a pantry may help even with personal hygiene supplies - see the Virginia Beach food pantry guide.
A few current details worth knowing: when applying or renewing, you must now provide verification of household expenses — including a lease or landlord statement, utility bills, daycare receipts, or medical bills — before deductions can be applied to your benefit calculation. If you have a lease or utility bill on hand when you apply, bring it. Also, Virginia Beach DHS explicitly notes that SNAP EBT card theft has become a concern — the ConnectEBT app (website: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/relief/food-assistance/ebt/) allows you to lock your card when not in use, which the department recommends.
SNAPET — employment and training for SNAP recipients
Attached to SNAP is a voluntary employment and training program called SNAPET. It is designed for SNAP recipients who want to work toward self-sufficiency and offers job search skills, training referrals, and education support. One specific detail that sets Virginia Beach's SNAPET apart from the generic state description: the department explicitly notes that priority services are given to people with a recent or past misdemeanor or felony conviction. For someone returning from incarceration who receives SNAP, this is an access point to employment support that many people in that situation don't know to look for.
Energy assistance — heating, cooling, crisis, and water
Virginia Beach administers several energy-related programs, one of which is specific to the city and not available in most Virginia localities.
The Fuel Assistance Program helps low-income households pay heating bills through the winter months. Applicants must be responsible for paying their own heating bill — renters whose heat is included in rent are typically not eligible. The Cooling Assistance program runs during summer and can pay air conditioning bills or cover the purchase or repair of fans and cooling equipment, with priority for households that include someone who is disabled, under age 6, or age 60 or older. Crisis Assistance addresses emergencies — if your heat has been shut off or you're facing disconnection with no other resource available, this program can pay the outstanding bill, cover primary heat security deposits, or fund heating equipment repair. It opens in November.
The Virginia Beach Water Assistance Program is city-specific and worth highlighting because most people don't know it exists. Administered through DHS in partnership with Virginia Beach Public Utilities, it provides once per fiscal year toward a City Services Bill — which in Virginia Beach covers water and sewer together — and may help pay for plumbing repairs. Applications are accepted at the DHS main office at 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd. For questions, call (757) 385-6700. This is entirely separate from state energy assistance and reflects the city's decision to create a local program addressing utility burdens that the state LIHEAP program doesn't cover.
TANF — monthly cash assistance and Diversionary Assistance
TANF provides monthly cash payments to low-income families with children. The amount depends on family size, and families can continue receiving a TANF check while earning income, provided total income stays below the federal poverty level for their household size. TANF has a 24-month limit for families participating in VIEW (Virginia's work program), followed by a period of ineligibility, with a 60-month lifetime cap. For a more in depth guide, see the NHPB Virginia cash assistance page.
The piece of TANF that many people don't know about is Diversionary Assistance. This is a one-time payment for families who are not currently receiving TANF but face an immediate crisis — it can cover food, housing and utilities, medical expenses, transportation, or costs related to getting or keeping a job. The key qualifier is that there must be a loss, reduction, or delay in income, and the household must include a dependent child. For families who are new to the system, want to avoid becoming ongoing TANF recipients, and have a short-term emergency that one-time help could resolve, this is worth asking about specifically. When applying, tell the caseworker or phone representative that you want to be considered for Diversionary Assistance.
TANF applications automatically screen for SNAP eligibility. If you apply for General Relief, it is also considered for SNAP. Applying for one program screens you for others.
VIEW — employment program for TANF recipients
Recipients of TANF are generally required to participate in VIEW (Virginia Initiative for Educational Work) as a condition of receiving benefits. This is the state's approach to moving families from assistance to employment. Virginia Beach DHS's VIEW program provides job readiness workshops, job development services that connect participants with local employers, community work experience placements, and support services.
A Family Services Specialist conducts a comprehensive assessment with each participant to identify work barriers and strengths before building a plan. For participants already balancing work and children, understanding what VIEW requires — and what exemptions may apply — is important before assuming TANF isn't an option.
Medicaid and health coverage
Virginia Beach DHS accepts and processes Medicaid applications for residents who qualify. Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, mental health services, and preventive care. Coverage categories include children, pregnant women, adults 19 to 64, and people who are aged, blind, or disabled with limited income. Virginia's Cardinal Care program has expanded access in recent years, and some residents who were previously ineligible may now qualify. The fastest eligibility check is through CommonHelp, which screens across all available categories when you apply.
For seniors or people with disabilities who may need nursing home or community-based care rather than standard medical coverage, Long Term Support Services falls under the same Medicaid umbrella. The DHS caseworker process is the starting point for both.
Auxiliary Grants — assisted living for SSI recipients
Auxiliary Grants are a lesser-known program that provide additional financial support to people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and certain other aged, blind, or disabled individuals, who live in a licensed assisted living facility, supportive housing setting, or approved adult foster care home. If someone you know receives SSI and is moving into or already living in one of these settings, an Auxiliary Grant may cover the gap between the SSI payment and the facility's cost. Residency in Virginia for at least 90 days is required, along with income and asset limits. DHS handles eligibility.
General Relief — burial assistance and unattached children
General Relief is a narrow program covering two specific situations that fall outside other benefit categories. Burial assistance is available for residents who die without the income or assets to cover funeral costs, and for families who are receiving public benefits and cannot afford burial expenses. The unattached child component covers children who don't qualify for SSI or TANF through standard channels. These are uncommon situations, but they represent a meaningful safety net for residents who otherwise have no recourse. Applications for General Relief automatically trigger a SNAP eligibility review.
How to apply
CommonHelp at commonhelp.virginia.gov is Virginia's unified online application portal and the most efficient starting point for most residents. It handles SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, energy assistance, and other programs in a single session and allows document uploads without a trip to the office.
If you prefer to apply in person or by phone, the main office at 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd and the satellite at 104 N. Witchduck Rd., Suite 316 are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The benefits customer call center at (757) 385-4306 can answer questions about existing cases, and (855) 635-4370 handles new applications by phone.
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