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

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Washington program

Monthly cash help (TANF) and one-time Diversion Cash Assistance

Monthly cash for families with very low wages, and a separate one-time payment of up to $2,000 for a short-term crisis.

What it is

Monthly cash for families with very low wages, and a separate one-time payment of up to $2,000 for a short-term crisis.

TANF is monthly cash for families whose wages are below the entry figure for their unit size. A relative raising a child may be able to ask for a child-only grant. Diversion Cash Assistance is a one-time payment of up to $2,000 in 12 months for some qualifying families with a one-time need; it is not open to every case, and starting TANF within 12 months can mean repaying part of it.

Rules
  • Wages strictly below the published entry ceiling for the assistance-unit size; the table already includes a $500 earnings deduction.
  • Savings limit $12,000 in countable equity, higher than most states.
  • A person receiving SSI is left out of the unit; mixed income needs the office’s own calculation.
  • WorkFirst participation rules may apply; ask about exemptions for your child’s care.
  • Maximum grants in 2026: $706 a month for a unit of 3, $833 for 4; the entry test is wages strictly below $1,912 for 3 and $2,166 for 4.
What you get
  • Monthly cash if wages drop under the line; the maximum depends on the unit size and income reduces it.
  • Diversion: one payment of up to $2,000 in a 12-month period for an eligible one-time need, with prorated repayment if TANF starts within 12 months.
Detail
  • A relative raising a child can take a child-only grant without applying for themselves.
If you decide to apply
  1. If income falls, or a relative is raising the child, ask DSHS which route fits: monthly assistance, a child-only grant or, for some qualifying families, the short-term Diversion payment.

washingtonconnection.org · DSHS, 877-501-2233 · Official page ↗

If it becomes relevant
  • Bring income records and the urgent bill; ask for the expected amount and any repayment or participation conditions in writing.
Good to know

Diversion and monthly TANF are alternatives, not a pair. Ask which one fits before choosing.

Other details
  • Sixty months of adult assistance over a lifetime; a work exemption does not stop the clock.

Federal background: Cash assistance through Washington DSHS.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could either monthly cash, a child-only grant or a different crisis program fit our situation?”

Why I’m asking: We want to know the cash routes before a crisis.

More background and detailed requirements

How this could help

For the assistance-unit sizes in the published table, the maximum monthly TANF grant is $706 for three people or $833 for four. Actual payments can be lower because income and who counts in the assistance unit matter.

Diversion Cash Assistance is intended for a temporary need when a family can meet ongoing needs without monthly TANF. It may pay an essential expense directly. Ask about both options so you understand the conditions before choosing.

What to know before you apply

  • Income and resource tests apply. For a three-person unit with wages only, the published entry rule requires earnings below $1,912 monthly; mixed income needs a different calculation.
  • A person receiving SSI is treated differently in the assistance unit. Do not assume everyone at home counts.
  • WorkFirst participation rules may apply; tell the caseworker about your child’s care needs and ask about any applicable exemption or deferral.

Your next steps

  1. Apply through Washington Connection or ask DSHS to screen the family.
  2. Bring income records and the urgent bill, if there is one.
  3. Ask for the expected monthly grant or diversion amount and any repayment or participation conditions.

wages strictly below the published entry ceiling for the assistance-unit size; the table already includes a $500 family earnings deduction

$12,000 in countable equity

sixty months of adult assistance; a work exemption does not stop the clock

Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

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

You

Apply with this month's income and say who lives in the home.

Your social worker

The hospital social worker can file it with you and ask about diversion.

The care team

Nothing.

Who decides
The Department of Social and Health Services.
Ask your social worker
“Could our family qualify for TANF or short-term Diversion Cash Assistance, and how would caring for my child affect the requirements?”

How to apply

First step: Apply through Washington Connection or ask DSHS to screen the family.

  1. Apply on Washington Connection the month the pay stops.
  2. Ask about Diversion Cash Assistance if the real problem is one bill.
  3. If a relative is raising the child, ask for a child-only grant.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Apply through Washington Connection. Ask about Diversion Cash Assistance in the same conversation if the need is a one-off.

What to gather

  • This month's pay stubs
  • Who lives in the home
  • Bank balances
  • The bill you need to clear, if you are asking for diversion

How long: The standard is 30 days, with exceptions for good cause.

What a yes looks like

A monthly grant amount and a start date, or a one-off payment to the landlord.

What a no looks like, and the next move

If the no is about income, ask which people they counted in the unit and whether an SSI recipient was wrongly included.

Watch out

  • The entry test is on wages alone and the office decides who is in the unit first.
  • Savings over $12,000 close it.
  • Adult months count against a sixty-month lifetime limit, even when you are excused from work.

Dates that change this

2026-09-10: The entry table dates from August 1, 2024 and the grant table from January 1, 2024; no newer version was published and no next change date was found.

2026-09-10: How the entry test works when some income is not wages was not published; the office has to work it out for you.

The numbers and the rules

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

What it is worth

Up to $706 a month for three people or $833 for four, when wages are below $1,912 or $2,166. Up to $2,000 once a year for a one-off crisis.

  • $1,912/month — Entry ceiling on wages, household of three
  • $2,166/month — Entry ceiling on wages, household of four
  • $706/month — Largest monthly grant, household of three
  • $833/month — Largest monthly grant, household of four
  • $12,000 — Savings limit
  • $2,000/year — Largest one-off diversion payment in twelve months
  • $30 — Decision standard

Covers: Employment services alongside the grant

Legal protection: A relative raising the child can take a child-only grant whose months do not count against the adult time limit

What it costs the family: Nothing.

The eligibility facts, as published

Income
wages strictly below the published entry ceiling for the assistance-unit size; the table already includes a $500 family earnings deduction
Resources
$12,000 in countable equity
Time limit
sixty months of adult assistance; a work exemption does not stop the clock
Assistance unit
a person receiving SSI is outside the unit
Residency
Washington

Decisions this site cannot make: Assistance-unit determination · Entry income test

Expect friction on: Proving this month's wages

The trap: The entry test is a strict below test on wages, and the office decides who is in the assistance unit before it applies it. A person getting SSI is left out of the unit. If any of the income is unemployment or disability pay, the entry calculation is different and this research could not find how it is worked out, so the office has to tell you.

Where I read this

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