Cash Assistance

• The Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program provides cash payments to low-income families who do not have enough money to meet their needs. The family must meet income eligibility guidelines and reside in Louisiana. The monthly household income cannot exceed the amount of money the mother is entitled to receive per month based on family size. Immunization records must be provided for all children under the age of 18 living in the household, the mother and other household members over 18 must submit to drug testing, and the family cannot receive the benefit for more than two years. The average monthly payment to an unmarried mother with one child is $188 per month as of 2011.
  
  

Food Stamps

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamp program, in Louisiana provides benefits that can be used by an unwed mother to buy food for herself and her family. A single mother with two children can receive up to $526 per month in food stamps as long as her income does not exceed $1,984 as of 2011. However, if the mother pays more than $35 per month in medical costs or more than $491 per month for her housing costs, she is eligible for additional food assistance.
  
  

Child Care Assistance

• The Louisiana Child Care Assistance Program provides payments towards daycare costs for single mothers and eligible families. The maximum income level allowed for a single mother with one child is $2557 per month as of 2011. The amount a mother can receive varies, depending on how often she works, her actual daycare expenses and the total income and size of her household.
  
  

Child Support Enforcement Services

• All mothers who receive cash assistance from Louisiana are automatically enrolled in the state's child support enforcement program for free; those not receiving welfare assistance must pay $25 to enroll as of 2011. The enforcement services include location of the non-custodial parent and determination of paternity for children. The agency assists mothers with court proceedings to obtain a child support order and the enforcement of the order through collection methods, such as wage garnishment.