A Guide for Maine Workers and Their Families:
What other programs can help my family and me?

Guide Contents

Contents of this page
8.1 Food Stamps
8.2 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
8.3 General Assistance (GA)
8.4 Fuel Assistance (LIHEAP)
8.5 Worker's Compensation
8.6 Back child support or spousal support
8.7 Housing Subsidies

8.1 Food Stamps

Your household may be eligible for Food Stamps even if you are working. You can check to see if you are eligible by using the “food stamp estimator”. If you have minor children at home you do not have to meet an asset test. For others, your assets must be limited to qualify. Many types of assets, like your car and your home, do not count.

Apply for Food Stamps at your local Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) office.

For more information about Food Stamps:

Visit the Maine Equal Justice Partners "Food Supplement Program Overview".

8.2 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Very low-income families with children may be eligible for this benefit. Even if you are working, you may be eligible for TANF if your wages are very low or your work hours are limited. To qualify, your children must lack the support of one parent because:

• One parent is not in the household; or
• Two parent families qualify if:
• One parent is “incapacitated”; or
• The parent who earned the most money in the last 24 months is unemployed or underemployed.
  (There are rules to determine if a parent will be considered unemployed or incapacitated).

Most adults who receive TANF must participate in ASPIRE, which is a work/job-training program. An eligible parent who wants to attend college or other post-secondary school can get the same benefits, plus support services, through the Parents as Scholars (PaS) program (more information on Parents as Scholars)

You can apply for TANF at your local Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) office.

For more information about TANF and ASPIRE:

Read the Understanding ASPIRE-TANF section.

8.3 General Assistance (GA)

General Assistance is a program of last resort for very low-income households when work or other benefit programs cannot meet their basic needs. Towns and cities run General Assistance (GA). Every municipality in Maine has a GA program. GA can help with basic necessities, such as rent, food, clothing, fuel, electric bills, or prescription drugs.

Apply for GA at your town office. For those living in unorganized townships, apply to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (toll-free) at 1 (800) 442-6003; TTY (207) 287-6948.

If you have trouble applying for GA in your city or town, call DHHS (toll-free) at 1 (800) 442-6003 and ask for help getting GA. Be aware that if your application for GA is denied, you have only 5 days to appeal. For help with appeals, contact Pine Tree Legal Assistance.

For more information about GA:

Visit the Pine Tree Legal Assistance website, or visit or call your local Pine Tree Legal office.

8.4 Fuel assistance: the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Low-income households can qualify each heating season for help with their fuel bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). You can apply at your local Community Action Program (CAP).

For more information about LIHEAP:

Visit the Maine State Housing Authority website.

8.5 Workers’ Compensation

If you are hurt on the job or your job caused an illness, you should be able to get this benefit. Workers’ Compensation can pay your medical bills and pay you a partial paycheck for the weeks you cannot work because of your illness or injury. You may also be eligible for vocational rehabilitation including job training or job placement services.

To get Workers’ Compensation you must notify your employer as soon as you can after you get injured or become ill. Be sure that your employer files a “First Report of Injury” within 7 days. You must be given a copy of this report. Be sure to keep it. If your employer does not file a report, call your local Workers’ Compensation Board and ask to speak to a “troubleshooter.”

There should be a poster displayed in your workplace that gives more information about Workers’ Compensation.

For more information:

Telephone numbers for the regional offices of the Workers’ Compensation Commission:

Augusta: (207) 287-2308,(toll-free) 1 (800) 400-6854, or TTY (207) 287-6119
Bangor: (207) 941-4550 or (toll-free) 1 (800) 400-6856
Caribou: (207) 498-6428 or (toll-free) 1 (800) 400-6855
Lewiston: (207) 753-7700 or (toll-free) 1 (800) 400-6857
Portland: (207) 822-0840 or (toll-free) 1 (800) 400-6858

8.6 Back child support or spousal support

Are you getting all of the child or spousal support you should be? If not, you can sign up with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery, to help you collect the support that you should be getting.

This state agency helps you:

• Establish new support orders for children of unmarried parents;
• Update old orders for support; and
• Enforce existing support orders.

To apply for child or spousal support collection services call your local DHHS office.

Request an application for services by filling out the form on the DHHS website.

Read more about this program on the DHHS website

8.7 Housing subsidies

Maine has a number of state and federally-funded rental housing programs. Most have long waiting lists. Some of the programs help people who have substance abuse or mental health issues.

To find out more about the low-cost rental housing in your area, contact:

Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA): 1 (800) 452-4668 (TTY: 1 (800) 452-4603)

For help with buying a home (low-rate mortgages for low-income buyers), contact:

Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA):
Voice: (toll-free) 1 (800) 452-4668
TTY: 1 (800) 452-4603

USDA Rural Development, Maine office:
Voice: (207) 990-9160
TTY: (207) 942-7331

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