Social welfare benefits as health advice for families with infants

If you receive social assistance or basic income support and have just had a baby, the social welfare office will cover the costs of counseling sessions.

Many parents experience situations in the first months and years of their child's life that make them feel insecure, worried or overwhelmed.

Gesundheitshilfe offers mothers and fathers advice on issues such as

• insatiable crying and frequent restlessness of the infant
• Difficulties falling asleep and sleeping through the night
• Problems with breastfeeding, feeding and eating
• Behavioral problems such as excessive anger and tantrums, anxiety or aggression, reluctance to play
• Separation anxiety and difficulties
• Tense family situation
• relationship problems
• excessive demands, insecurity and exhaustion
• postpartum depression

Responsible is

• the social welfare office of the respective local social welfare provider (your district or city)

or

• the social welfare office of the district or regional municipality used by the local social welfare provider,

in which the residence is located.

An informal application to the social welfare office responsible for you is sufficient. You can also obtain applications and forms from your social welfare office.

Health assistance is available to people

• who do not have statutory or adequate private health insurance,
• the provision of benefits via the health insurance fund (§ 264 Para. 4 SGB V) is not an option
• and who cannot reasonably be expected to raise the funds for the necessary assistance from their income and assets.

An objection can be lodged against the decisions of the competent social welfare institutions within one month of notification.

Once the objection procedure has been concluded by a notice of objection, an action may be brought before the Social Court within one month of notification.

• You contact the social welfare office responsible for you. You can ask there for advice and support or submit an informal application straight away.
• The responsible authority will ask you to complete a form and submit further documents if necessary.
• Once all the documents have been submitted, the social welfare office will use the information you provide to check whether or to what extent you will receive health assistance.
• After your application has been reviewed, you will receive a notice of approval or rejection.