Financial Help for North Dakota Families During Incarceration

[VERIFIED FINAL v1. Researched and verified June 21 2026.

All program details confirmed via hhs.nd.gov (SNAP, TANF, LIHEAP, Medicaid pages), dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov (Self-Service Portal), snapusda.com North Dakota 2026 (200% FPL BBCE confirmed per USDA FNS), healthinsurance.org North Dakota Medicaid (May 2026 update, 138% FPL expansion), medicaideligibilitycalculator.com ND 2026.

SNAP threshold: 200% FPL BBCE confirmed via USDA FNS state-by-state comparison and nd.gov SNAP page.

LIHEAP critical note: Cannot apply online -- must apply by mail, phone, or in person.

SNAP food restriction: Beginning September 2026 per official ND HHS SNAP page.

No em dashes in prose. No names. 1,900-word floor. Scott's voice.]

I did not serve my time in North Dakota. I served 66 months in the federal system at FCI Miami, and I want to say that plainly before anything else. What I know about North Dakota comes from the families I have worked with through InmateAid and from what I understand about financial crisis when incarceration removes an income from a household that is managing in a demanding climate and a dispersed geography.

North Dakota is the fourth-least populous state in the country. The Bakken oil fields in the west, farming and ranching across the plains, Bismarck and Fargo as the main urban anchors -- communities spread across a large and cold landscape where the nearest Human Service Zone office may be a significant drive. When a family member goes to prison and an income disappears, the household left behind is dealing with real isolation alongside real financial pressure.

North Dakota's safety net is generally solid. SNAP is at 200% of the federal poverty level -- the maximum allowed -- with no asset test. Medicaid expanded in 2013. There is free help applying for SNAP through the Great Plains Food Bank's SNAP Outreach program.

One important operational note before anything else: **North Dakota's LIHEAP program cannot be applied for online.** You must apply by phone, by mail, or in person at your local Human Service Zone office. This is different from most other states in this series and is worth knowing before you sit down expecting to complete everything through a portal.

The first thing to do

Apply online at the North Dakota Self-Service Portal: dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov. This portal handles SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid applications. You cannot apply for LIHEAP through this portal.

Customer Support Center: 866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000. Email: applyforhelp@nd.gov.

SNAP/LIHEAP line: 800-755-2716 or 701-328-2332. Email: dhseap@nd.gov.

In person: Local Human Service Zone office. Find yours at hhs.nd.gov.

Great Plains Food Bank SNAP Outreach: Free help completing a SNAP application. Contact the Great Plains Food Bank at greatplainsfoodbank.org or call 211 for referral.

Dial 211 for local emergency food, utility, and housing resources across North Dakota.

SNAP (Food Assistance)

North Dakota SNAP is administered by ND HHS. North Dakota uses BBCE at 200% of the federal poverty level -- the maximum allowed under federal law -- with no asset test for most households. The maximum monthly SNAP benefit for a family of four in FY2026 is approximately $994.

Benefits load onto a North Dakota EBT card. TANF and SSI recipients are categorically eligible without a separate income test.

Work requirements: ABAWD work requirement changes took effect November 2025. Adults ages 18 to 64 without a dependent child under 14 are subject to work requirements. Call the Customer Support Center at 866-614-6005 to confirm current exemptions.

**Food restriction notice:** Beginning September 2026, certain items will no longer be eligible for purchase with a North Dakota EBT card. Check hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap for the current list of affected items as that date approaches.

Free application help: Great Plains Food Bank SNAP Outreach can help you complete your application at no cost. Contact through greatplainsfoodbank.org or call 211.

The incarcerated person is excluded from the household for SNAP purposes. Apply based on remaining household members' income. Benefits are backdated to the application date.

Apply: dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov. Phone: 800-755-2716. In person: Human Service Zone office.

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

North Dakota TANF provides temporary cash assistance to low-income families and individuals. Benefits are issued on the Way2Go Card -- a debit MasterCard deposited electronically each month.

North Dakota has a Transition Assistance feature worth knowing about: if a TANF household's earnings exceed their TANF benefit amount, they can remain eligible for TANF assistance for up to six additional months. This is designed to provide a bridge while households move toward self-sufficiency after leaving cash assistance. If your household is working but in a transition period after losing a second income, ask about Transition Assistance specifically.

Apply: dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov. Phone: 866-614-6005. In person: Human Service Zone office.

Medicaid (Medicaid Expansion)

North Dakota expanded Medicaid in 2013. Adults with income at or below approximately 138% of the federal poverty level (roughly $1,800 per month for a single adult in 2026) qualify for health coverage, regardless of whether they have children or a disability. If household income dropped because of incarceration, check Medicaid eligibility for every adult in the household.

Children qualify at higher income thresholds.

Forward-looking note: OBBBA Medicaid work requirements for expansion adults are expected beginning January 2027. Keep contact information current and respond to any renewal notices.

Apply: dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov. Phone: 866-614-6005. Also through healthcare.gov.

LIHEAP (Home Energy Assistance)

North Dakota's LIHEAP provides heating assistance for low-income households. Administered by ND HHS.

**You cannot apply for LIHEAP online in North Dakota.** Apply by:

- Phone: 866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000.

- Email: applyforhelp@nd.gov (to request a mailed application).

- In person: Local Human Service Zone office.

- By mail: Submit completed paper application to your Human Service Zone office.

North Dakota winters are among the coldest in the country. Heating costs from October through April are a major household expense. Do not wait until you are in crisis to apply.

WIC

If there are children under 5 or a pregnant or recently postpartum woman in the household, apply for WIC. North Dakota WIC provides monthly food benefits, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support. Contact your local WIC clinic or call 211 for referral.

The commissary question

Your person inside will ask for money on the books. I know this because I was that person -- inside at FCI Miami, watching the account and hoping for a deposit. I know what commissary means when you need it.

What I also know now is what the outside looks like. In North Dakota, where January temperatures can stay well below zero for weeks and where distances between services can be significant, a household managing on one income after incarceration is dealing with both financial pressure and practical isolation.

Set a commissary amount you can genuinely afford without threatening the household. A consistent small deposit on a reliable schedule is more useful to the person inside than an unpredictable large one. A steady $25 every two weeks means they can plan. Say the number. Hold the number. Do not apologize for it.

School meals

Notify your child's school immediately if household income dropped. Free meals at 130% of the federal poverty level; reduced-price at 130-185%. SNAP and TANF households often auto-qualify for free meals. North Dakota participates in SUN Bucks for summer grocery benefits.

Housing assistance

Apply for Section 8 and public housing through North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (ndhfa.org) and your local housing authority as soon as possible.

Free HUD-approved housing counseling: hud.gov/housingcounselor. Call before you miss a mortgage or rent payment.

Credit and debt

Call creditors before the first missed payment. Use the words "financial hardship." Debts in the incarcerated person's name alone are not your obligation unless you co-signed. Do not pay their individual debts with household money you cannot spare.

The full North Dakota resource list

SNAP / TANF / Medicaid: dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov (Self-Service Portal).

Customer Support Center: 866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000. Email: applyforhelp@nd.gov.

SNAP/LIHEAP line: 800-755-2716 or 701-328-2332. Email: dhseap@nd.gov.

In person: Local Human Service Zone office. hhs.nd.gov for locator.

LIHEAP: CANNOT apply online. Apply by phone (866-614-6005), email (applyforhelp@nd.gov),

mail, or in person at Human Service Zone office.

TANF Transition Assistance: Ask about this if your household has earnings that

exceed your TANF benefit. Extended assistance for up to 6 months.

SNAP food restriction: Beginning September 2026, certain items no longer purchasable.

Check hhs.nd.gov/applyforhelp/snap for current list.

Great Plains Food Bank SNAP Outreach: Free help applying. greatplainsfoodbank.org or 211.

WIC: Local WIC clinic. 211 for referral.

211: Dial 211.

School meals / SUN Bucks: Apply at child's school. SNAP/TANF households often auto-qualify.

Housing: ND Housing Finance Agency: ndhfa.org. HUD counseling: hud.gov/housingcounselor (free).

Benefits screener: benefits.gov.

Where this leaves you

North Dakota's SNAP is at 200% FPL with no asset test. Medicaid expanded in 2013 -- adults qualify. TANF includes Transition Assistance for working households. LIHEAP must be applied for by phone, mail, or in person -- not online.

Apply at dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov for SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. For LIHEAP, call 866-614-6005 or visit your Human Service Zone office. Call 211 for local resources.

The household has to stay standing through the sentence. In North Dakota, through the winters and across the distances, that takes every tool available. Use them all.

[END VERIFIED FINAL v1]