Food, health coverage and cash help are run by the state, and the process is similar across programs. This guide summarizes how the State of Texas family resources site and the Your Texas Benefits portal describe applying. It does not decide whether you qualify. To see whether you qualify, check the portal or call 2-1-1.
By the Exsura Team · October 17, 2026
The Your Texas Benefits portal describes state benefit programs that help people with little or no money, including SNAP food benefits (help buying food), TANF cash help (for families with children age 18 and younger), health care coverage, support services, and WIC food benefits (for pregnant and breastfeeding women and families with children younger than 5). The Texas family resources site adds that SNAP benefits are put on a Lone Star Card that you use at stores, and that pregnant women in Texas can get free health coverage through Medicaid for Pregnant Women or CHIP Perinatal.
Your Texas Benefits has a prescreening tool. It says you can answer some basic questions to find which benefits and support services you might be able to get, and then create an account to apply. The Texas family resources site says to visit YourTexasBenefits.com or call 2-1-1 to find out whether you qualify.
It lists these general eligibility ideas: you must live in Texas; most programs are for people or families who do not make a lot of money, with different income limits based on family size; you usually need to be a U.S. citizen or a legal immigrant, with some special rules for children or pregnant women; and for SNAP and TANF you need a low income and few assets. For Medicaid and CHIP Perinatal, you need to be pregnant or have children and meet income rules. Because each program has its own rules, treat this as a starting point, not a decision.
The family resources site describes the process as:
No matter which program you apply for, the site says you will need proof of who you are, such as a driver’s license or identification card; proof of where you live, such as a bill with your address on it; proof of income, such as pay stubs or a letter from your job; and, if you are applying for Medicaid or CHIP Perinatal, proof that you are pregnant. If you lack an ID, see where to get help if you are homeless in Dallas for what 2-1-1 Texas says about getting identification.
The site says you can get help with your application online, over the phone or in person. It says to call 2-1-1 for help finding services or answers about benefits programs, and that you can get help in person at your local Health and Human Services office. If you apply online, it points to the Help Center on YourTexasBenefits.com.
The Texas family resources site says you can apply online, by mail or in person at a local Health and Human Services office. Your Texas Benefits also lets you create an account to apply after a prescreening tool.
The site says to bring proof of who you are, proof of where you live and proof of income, plus proof of pregnancy if applying for Medicaid or CHIP Perinatal.
The site says you can get help online, over the phone or in person. It says to call 2-1-1, and that your local Health and Human Services office can help in person.
No. The site says each program has its own rules, and eligibility depends on things like where you live, income and family size, and citizenship or legal status.
Sources last checked October 17, 2026. This article is general education, not financial, legal or medical advice. Rules, fees and programs change, so confirm details with the organization before you act.
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