Single parents are raising 34% of the young population of the state. Maryland posts a healthy figure in terms of children living in crowded houses that stands at a modest 7%. Almost 8% of the total children have no medical cover to take care of their healthcare needs in case of medical needs and emergencies. The state has taken several steps to uplift the lives of the single mothers of the state in the following manner.
Childcare: The state run Maryland Committee for Children runs the Childcare subsidy program. Under this program, low-income single mothers and families can apply for support for paying childcare costs. This support can be claimed by single parents irrespective of whether they use childcare when they are away to work or for attending school. The support can also be claimed if you are availing informal care.
Healthcare: For a single mother, paying for her and her children’s healthcare can be a burden on the pocket if there is no regular source ofincome. To make proper healthcare services available to all, the state of Maryland runs the Medical assistance programs under its Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH). If you are a recipient ofSupplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Foster Care you get automatically covered under the Medical assistance program. For children under the age of 19, another program by the name of Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) is run which provides low cost health coverage for uninsured kids.
Food & Supplies: The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene runs the Maryland Women, Infants and Children program. This program cover the above mentioned three categories and assures nutritious and healthy food supplies. The program covers pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, infants and children. You can also seek assistance from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP), previously known as the Food Stamp program to get some assistance for fulfilling food and nutrition needs of the family.
Rent Assistance: To find safe, comfortable and affordable housing, you can seek support from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. There are various support programs run by the department, primarily for rental assistance, buying a home, renovating a house etc. Alternatively, you can also seek assistance under the Section 8 Voucher programthat provides additional support in paying rents.
Educational Grants: To fulfill your ambitions of getting a college or university degree, Maryland Higher education commission runs the Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program. This program can help you live your dream of going back to college. If you do not manager to achieve an aid under the state program, you can also apply to the federal funded FAFSA.
Transportation: The state of Maryland has an extensive motor vehicle transport system. The state also runs an efficient pubic transport mechanism for single mother who might need public transport to travel to and from work.
