Table 3.

Federal Programs

FEDERAL PROGRAM	DESCRIPTION	ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (2017)a,b	WEBSITE
Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)	• Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income individuals and families	• Annual gross income <200% the federal poverty level (FPL) in 3 states, 200%–300% FPL in 29 states, and ≥300% FPL in 19 states, including DC	https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/index.html
	• CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid	• US citizen or qualified immigrantc	https://www.medicaid.gov/chip/eligibility-standards/index.html
	• Each state has the option to cover its CHIP population within its Medicaid program, design a separate CHIP program, or establish a combination program	• Some states may use state funding to help cover low-income non-qualified immigrant children	https://www.kff.org/medicaid/fact-sheet/where-are-states-today-medicaid-and-chip/
	• Jointly funded by state and federal governments and managed by states	• Low-income non-qualified immigrant children eligible for emergency Medicaid in all states
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)	• Federal antipoverty tax credit for working people with low to moderate income, particularly those with children	• Annual gross income ∼<220% FPL	https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit
		• US citizen or qualified immigrant
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)	• Provides cash assistance to needy families with children.	• Dependent child	https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ofa/programs/tanf
	• Administered by state government through federal block grant	• Gross monthly income below ∼16%–107% FPL, depending on state
		• US citizen or qualified immigrantc
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)	• Provides benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources	• Child fits strict definition of disability (physical/mental condition that very seriously limits activities AND condition expected to last 1 y or result in death)	https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/ssi.html
		• Child and family income/resource limits, varies by state
		• US citizen or qualified immigrantc
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)	• Federal nutrition assistance to low-income families; formerly known as the Food Stamp Program	• Gross monthly income <130% FPL	https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility
		• Limited financial reserves (<$2,250) in some states
		• US citizen or qualified immigrantc
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)	• Federal grant to states for supplemental foods for low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children	• Women must be pregnant, breastfeeding, or nonbreastfeeding postpartum (up to 6 mo)	https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements
		• Infants and children aged <5 y
		• Gross monthly income <185% FPL
		• No citizenship or legal residency requirements
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/Summer Food Service Program	• Federally assisted meal program operating in schools to provide nutritionally balanced low-cost or free lunches to children	• Child enrolled in a public or participating private school	https://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/national-school-lunch-program-nslp
		• Reduced priced meals: gross monthly income <185% FPL
		• Free meals: gross monthly income <130% FPL
		• No citizenship or legal residency requirements
Head Start/Early Head Start	• Promotes school readiness of young children from low-income families through agencies in the local community	• Infants and children aged <5 y	https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs
		• Gross annual income <100% FPL; some exceptions for income 100%–130% FPL, depending on state and availability
		• Homeless children, children in foster care, and children from families that receive TANF eligible regardless of income
		• No citizenship or legal residency requirements

^aThe 100% FPL for a family of 4 is defined as an annual income of $24,600 in 2017 in the 48 contiguous states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii (federal poverty guidelines differ in these states).

^bQualified immigrant includes lawful permanent residents (LPR/Green Card Holder); asylees/refugees; Cuban/Haitian entrants; people paroled into the United States for at least 1 year; conditional entrant granted before 1980; battered noncitizens, spouses, children, or parents; victims of trafficking and their spouse, child, sibling, or parent or individuals with a pending application for a victim of trafficking visa; granted withholding of deportation; and member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or American Indian born in Canada.

^cMay have a 5-year waiting period, varies by state.