Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Arkansas program

Monthly cash aid when earnings have stopped (TEA)

Arkansas's small monthly cash benefit for families with very little income, called Transitional Employment Assistance.

What it is

Arkansas's small monthly cash benefit for families with very little income, called Transitional Employment Assistance.

TEA is small monthly cash for a family with almost no income. DHS takes deductions off your income and compares what is left with $513 a month. A grandparent or other relative raising the child asks for a child-only grant, which ignores the relative's own income.

Eligibility rules
  • Income after deductions must be under $513 a month. An adult can be paid for 12 months in total; ask whether a child-only case is treated differently.
  • Caring for a seriously ill child may change which work activities DHS expects, but the diagnosis alone does not establish an exemption. The social worker can help ask the TEA caseworker about a caregiving deferral, needed medical evidence, its review date and any effect on the time limit.
What you get
  • A small monthly cash payment, with the amount depending on family size and eligibility.
Coverage and limits
  • Maximum monthly payments are small: about $204 for three people and $247 for four. Your own award can differ.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask the county DHS office for a TEA calculation through Access Arkansas.
  2. Have ready: income, savings and household records, plus a description of your caregiving responsibilities.

Access Arkansas / county DHS, 1-855-372-1084 · Official page ↗

After you apply
  • The county calculates income after deductions and sends the benefit decision.
Good to know

The cash is small. A grandparent or other relative raising the child can ask for a child-only grant that ignores the relative's own income.

Other details
  • TEA is Arkansas's TANF cash program. SNAP is separate grocery assistance.
  • Arkansas also offers a one-time diversion payment, treated as a loan you repay when you can. Ask about the amount and whether taking it uses up TEA months.

Federal background: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could TEA help with our everyday bills, and would its work rules fit caring for our child? If the benefit is worth pursuing, could you help us get the county's calculation?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand both the cash benefit and the obligations that come with it.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Report income, savings and who lives at home.

Your social worker

The county worker calculates the deductions.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The county Department of Human Services office.
Ask the agency
“What income figure do you use for cash aid for my household size, and would a parent caring for a child in cancer treatment be excused from the work rules?”

How to apply

First step: Apply at access.arkansas.gov, on the same application as food help.

  1. Ask the county whether cash aid is worth filing alongside food help.
  2. Ask what counts as income after deductions for your household.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Apply at access.arkansas.gov or call 1-855-372-1084.

What to gather

  • This month's income
  • Bank balances on the first of the month
  • Who lives at home

How long: Unknown: Arkansas has not published a promptness standard where we could read it.

What a yes looks like

A monthly payment and a set of work-related requirements to follow.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Usually savings or income. Ask which, and ask whether food help was decided separately.

Watch out

  • The savings limit is $3,000, counted on the first of the month.
  • The state limit is 12 months for affected adult cases from April 1, 2024; child-only cases, exceptions and federal limits require separate review.

Dates that change this

2026-09-10: DHS uses a $513 monthly income standard after applicable deductions. Child-only cases and the grant amount require separate calculations. (not yet confirmed against the final rule)

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

Monthly cash aid of about $204 for three people and $247 for four, with a savings limit of $3,000.

  • $204/month — Maximum monthly payment, three people
  • $247/month — Maximum monthly payment, four people
  • $3,000 — Savings limit
  • $513/month — Monthly countable-income standard after applicable deductions

What it costs the family: None to apply.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
DHS compares monthly countable income, after applicable earned-income deductions and with countable unearned income included, with a $513 standard for all assistance-unit sizes.
Resources
$3,000
Time limit
The state limit is 12 months for affected adult cases from April 1, 2024; child-only cases, exceptions and federal limits require separate review.
Residency
Arkansas

The trap: Arkansas's own pages disagree on the entry income and the time limit. Do not decide from a website; ask the county what they will count.

Where I read this

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