For many women, the extra expenses of prenatal care and preparing for the new baby are overwhelming. You and your baby deserve to be healthy and have consistent care. Financial, medical and and other programs are available for you and your baby.
Every state in the United States has programs to give financial, medical and other information, advice and other services important for a healthy pregnancy.
The links Medical Help for Pregnant Women, Mothers and Children and Financial Assistance for Pregnant Women, Mothers and Children will put you in touch with many valuable resources.
You may find clicking on the following resources and links helpful:
Child welfare agency for each state,
Department of Health can provide nutrition information and help as well as help with pregnancy and post-pregnancy concerns.
Medicaid in each state can help you with answers about free services offered to you and your child.
State Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides free or low-cost mammogram and Pap test.
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program provides help with food, nutritional counseling, and access to health services for women, infants and children.
Food Banks and Food Stamp programs are available.
Your children may be eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. Your state and every state in the nation has a health insurance program for infants, children and teens. For little or no cost, this insurance pays for doctor visits, prescription medicines, hospitalizations, and much more. Children that do not currently have health insurance are likely to be eligible, even if you are working. The states have different eligibility rules, but in most states, uninsured children 18 years old and younger, whose families earn up to $34,100 a year (for a family of four) are eligible.
Please visit the link Insure Kids Now.
Local hospitals or social service agencies may also be good resources that can put you in touch with free clinics or clinics that provide free care.
The following has been adapted from the National Women's Health Information Center website:
Child Support Enforcement Steps - This publication lists the steps for applying for and collecting child support.
Finding Help to Pay for Child Care - This fact sheet provides information on Federal and private assistance for child care. It also provides information on child care tax credits.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program - Food, nutrition counseling, and access to health services are provided to low-income women, infants, and children under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, popularly known as WIC. This fact sheet provides information about the program and its benefits.
Search for a Headstart Program - Head Start Programs are those profit- and non-profit organizations, which receive funds from the Head Start Bureau. Use the search tool on this site to locate specific types of Head Start Programs, or those in specific geographical locations.
Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) - VFC helps families by providing free vaccines to doctors who serve eligible children and is administered at the national level by the CDC through the National Immunization Program. CDC contracts with vaccine manufacturers to buy vaccines at reduced rates. States and eligible U.S. projects enroll physicians who serve eligible patients up to and including age 18 years, providing routine immunizations with little to no out-of-pocket costs.
Who Gets WIC and How to Apply - Information about the Women, Infants and Children Program - This fact sheet provides information about WIC's eligibility requirements, length of participation and application procedures.
WIC Contacts: State Agencies, Nutrition Coordinators & Breastfeeding Coordinators - This directory provides contact information for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), organized by each state. You may view alphabetically (by state), by region, or using a listing of just the Toll-free numbers.
Financial Management During Crisis (Copyright © The Nemours Foundation) - This article provides information on managing your health care payments during a financial crisis. It provides information on the cost of health care, the health care system, the warning signs of financial trouble, paying for health care costs, finding help paying for health care, and other financial tips.
The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) in the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families and oversees the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program which was created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996. TANF became effective July 1, 1997, and replaced what was then commonly known as welfare: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) programs.
