As the mother of a young adult with a disability, Carmen is keenly aware of the importance of supporting families so that all members may grow and thrive. If a kinship care support group does not exist in your area, you can start your own with the following steps: This section describes some exciting program models for kinship care families that can be found in Pennsylvania and provides contact information to learn more about these innovative initiatives. If your grandkids need health insurance, depending on your income level, you may be able to get free or low-cost health insurance through your states Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program. The Educational Law Center ensures equal access to education for all children and has free services and publications Because it can be stressful, consider grandparents raising grandchildren support groups in your area. An after-school program offered by the Center for Intergenerational Learning at Temple University for elementary school children in kinship or foster care in Philadelphia. Assign specific roles such as finding a guest speaker on an area of special interest to the attendees. This legislation unanimously passed the Senate in March. In some states, guardianship is known as conservatorship. Don't give up. Bette Hoxie is the former director of Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine, Inc. & the Kinship Program (AFFM), where she dedicated more than 20 years to helping kinship, foster, and adoptive families. Provide kinship care guidance and tools for service providers who serve as referral sources. Grandparents who have legal custody of grandchildren have several resources for financial assistance through government agencies, social service organizations and private foundations. . 5601-5612)This law allows a parent or legal guardian to authorize a co-guardian to assume the care of the person or property for a child upon the parent's incapacity, debilitation, or consent. Contact: Sandra Cross, executive director, 215-557-1554. She is a published author and an entrepreneur founder and executive director of Trans4mation Now Inc., a 501(c)(3), and the G.E.M.S. Fax: 202-434-6470. Ask for business cards. Contact: Sandy Cross, Grand Central Kinship Care Resource Center at 215-557-1554. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Additionally, extension educators in county extension offices, located in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, are a resource for educational publications, programs, newsletters, and individual assistance on topics including parenting, nutrition and wellness, child care, and other related areas. Michael Herndon joined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in January 2017 as deputy assistant director of the Office for Older Americans. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging at the Pennsylvania Area Agencies on Aging website to learn what services are available through the NFCSP. . Yvonne S. Lee, MSW, has been a licensed social worker since 2011. This program provides cash and Medicaid. Contact: A Second Chance, 412-665-2300; A Second Chance Web site. As recently as July 2019, Mr. Donavan served as a stakeholder with Ohio KAN working to develop a Statewide Kinship model for Ohio. Dr. Crowther is an investigator in the Institute for Rural Health Research. Grandparents and other relatives help keep children safe, situated in families and communities known to them. She also worked with the Niagara County Department of Social Services in Child Protection matters to avoid removals and reduce recidivism rates. Get names, titles, agency names and phone numbers of everyone. Becoming a kinship care provider may happen suddenly, and it can prove very difficult to adjust to the changes that occur. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. This report will be delivered to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Congress, and the state agencies responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs. Special Guardianship Order (SGO) may be granted to grandparents taking permanent care of their grandchildren due to the parents` inability or unwillingness to take on the role. Boundaries not only help create order but also ensure that everyone's needs are being met. While these programs are unique to their respective communities, they all emerged from a desire to enhance the well being and outlook for kinship care families. Grandma's Kids, at the Center for Intergenerational Learning at Temple University, is an after-school program for children being raised by grandparents or other alternative caregivers aimed at preventing violence and substance abuse. (Voice) 1-800-986-4550(TTY) 1-800-986-5432, Legal Assistance for low income families . Use this folder to store all your notes and records about your grandchild. Sharon was instrumental in the writing and passage of Minnesotas De Facto Custodian legislation, which was adopted in 2002 after years of research, advocacy, and coalition building. Relationships with Extended Family and FriendsThe extended family can include other adult children and grandchildren, aunts and uncles, and even other grandparents. The groups tend to offer social and emotional support for members by providing advice and understanding. If you qualify, you may be eligible for other benefits as well. Mr. Herndon earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University, where he received the Dan Sweat Scholarship for Academic Excellence. Although it may not always seem like it, agency workers are there to help you navigate the system. She led and participated in numerous coalitions with disability and aging organizations, including as co-chair of the Long-Term Services and Supports Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)Under the provisions of the National Family Caregiver Support Program, Area Agencies on Aging provide supportive services to grandparents and other relatives age 60 and over who are raising a relative's child. The Eck family, Terry, Sandy and Jack Jr. Terry and Sandy took custody of their grandson when he was 22 . She is the recipient of the 2015 Secretarys Meritorious Group Award for taking important steps to find a cure and improve care for people with dementia. In New York State, according to public assistance data, only 8 percent of potentially eligible children are receiving the non-parent grant. Recently her daughter suffered illness again, and it was during this illness that Dr. Kleckley learned how her grandson has been directly affected by the opioid crisis. The number of national, state, and local organizations that provide information and support to help kinship care providers continues to grow. Include, for example, last known addresses of the child's parents when petitioning for custody. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. A program sponsored by Penn State Extension and Generations Together in Allegheny County, this series of workshops is designed to help kinship care families with school-age children discover what makes their families special. The Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council held their first joint meeting on January 25, 2022 to begin the development of the National Family Caregiving Strategy. She manages a portfolio in demography and social epidemiology of aging as well as social genomics. Generations United (GU) National Center on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising ChildrenSeeks to improve the quality of life of kinship caregivers and the children they are raising. Please enter your email address below to create account. She has worked in each of the CMHS divisions during her time with CMHS. Mr. Donavan has served as a panelist and has advocated for kinship in numerous local and national arenas, including both the State and National Grand Rally. Mr. Donavan has trained at the Public Children Services Association of Ohio state conference, training line staff how to engage with kinship providers to ensure placement stability. Let each family member bring a favorite dish. When a grandparent has to raise a grandchild, it adds additional stress on older people. Raising grandchildren legal issues AARP Luzerne County Libraries Catholic Social Services 33 East Northampton Street, Wilkes, PA 18701 2nd Monday of Each Month, 6-7:30 p.m. / Contact Joan Gower @ 570-455-1521, Ext. Kinship Care Web site. She is a registered nurse and her husband, Harold, is a family practice physician. The number of children in the household determines cash assistance amounts. Remember those little actions that show caring, such as hugs and kisses, a Thank You," and stories or words shared by the two of you that carry special meaning. Training Extension educators and other professionals in intergenerational programming. She has been recognized for her work by Larimer County Behavioral Health and is supported by the community in her work with grandfamilies. Kinship care providers may wish they had more time to give to these persons. No. You can develop skills in negotiating systems to get the help you need. So, Gail took charge. You can apply for these benefits for your grandchildren at your citys Social Security Administration office. Dr. McGuire is passionate about caregiving both professionally and personally, as a caregiver for her mother with mixed dementia. Stat. Contact: Generations Together, 412-648-7150; Generations together Web site. The childs kinship caregivers will receive approximately $330 per month. Theres also the Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC which is available to those with moderate to low incomes, or the Child Tax Credit if you make too much money to qualify for the EITC. Bette maintains contact with more than 30 of her former foster children. In 2017, there were nearly 90,000 Pennsylvania grandparents who were responsible for the basic needs of one of more grandchildren under the age of 18. Jaia Peterson Lent is the deputy executive director of Generations United, whose mission is to improve the lives of children, youth, and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs for the enduring benefit of all. Recognizing this, the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildrendeveloped the linked COVID-19/Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide. Bette served as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) and provides training on a number of child welfare related topics. Provide kinship care families with encouragement and information about resources they can draw upon. Conducted by Family and Community Service of Delaware County, this program offers a wide platform of services for families with grandparents caring for their grandchildren, including bi-monthly support group meetings for grandparents, support groups for grandchildren between the ages of 5 and 12, workshops on parenting, individual and family counseling, training in advocacy (so families can serve as advocates for their own rights) and a Grandparent Stop-In Center" for less formal peer support. Professor, Intergenerational Programs and Aging. To meet the unique needs of kinship care families in Pennsylvania, exciting ideas are taking root. Lawmakers are becoming increasingly aware of the extent of the kinship caregiving situation, and in particular, they are learning that this is not just an urban concernkinship caregivers reside in every county in Pennsylvania, not just in the big cities. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate who has been serving as the lead social worker for the Healthy Grandfamilies program since 2015. These are the available help from the government. Helen Lamont, Ph.D., is a senior long-term care analyst in the Office of Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Many of the families in their county have suffered tremendously due to poverty, emotional and physical health issues, and lack of supports. Attend a retreat or other activity designed for kinship care providers and the children in their care. In that position, she led policy advocacy with federal agencies and Congress and legal advocacy nationally to advance community living and inclusion, including in the areas of healthcare, Medicaid home- and community-based services, employment, housing, and education. Advancing independence, integration, and inclusion throughout life, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Get instructions for navigating this site, ACL A to Z: Programs, Networks, & Focus Areas, Americans with Disabilities Act National Network, Senior Centers and Supportive Services for Older Adults, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Aging and Disability Resource Centers Program/No Wrong Door System, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, State Health Insurance Assistance Program, Transportation Research and Demonstration Program, The Presidents Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, For American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, Advanced Rehabilitation Research and Training (ARRT) Program, Disability and Rehabilitation Research Program, Field-Initiated Projects Program Rehabilitation Research, Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center Program, Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) Program, Small Business Innovation Research Program, National Family Caregiver Support Program, Support for People with Limb Loss, Paralysis and TBI, Strengthening the Aging and Disability Networks, Aging and Disability Evidence-Based Programs and Practices, Duals Demonstration Ombudsman Program Technical Assistance, Volunteer Opportunities and Civic Engagement, Projected Future Growth of Older Population, Reports to Congress and the President, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Medicare Improvements for Patients & Providers Act, Connecting to Specific Programs or Services, 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act, Advisory Council Year One Progress Report, COVID-19/Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies, National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, April 2020 SGRG Advisory Council Meeting Overview and Outcomes 4/23/2020 (PDF), Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Advisory Council Meeting, Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Meeting, Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Council Photos, Disability Assistance and Information Line. She holds a B.S. The tool gives you a report listing the benefits you may . Childs income and resources ONLY are considered (Caregivers income is NOT included in application), Legal custody or guardianship is NOT required, Caregivers must be caring for the child full-time without a parent in the home. Her passion for advocating for grandfamilies stems from her early years working in Child Protective Services, observing the disparities between support for non-related foster parents and relative caregivers. Below are some of the benefit programs available to help grandparents raise grandchildren. . Anne Mathews-Younes is the Deputy Director of the Center for Mental Health Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services and has been with this Federal agency for twenty-five years. This is your opportunity to ask for referrals. LegiStorm is constantly adding new information on the people, places and reports in our database. Childcare will enable grandparents to continue to work. However, it would be best if you qualified for licensing like any non-related adult looking to foster a child. A three-part workshop series offered by Grand Central, Inc., in Philadelphia, this program provides kinship caregivers and their female youth (age 12 and older) with the opportunity to explore their creative side, heal their souls and feed their spirits though quilt making." He is past president of the Council on Community Resources. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. It is important to keep in mind that law and policies change and are subject to different interpretations. Find out as much information about an agency as possible. Gail Engel and her husband, Joe, are raising their 12-year-old grandson with intellectual and development disabilities autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. If youre working, and are incurring childcare expenses in order to work, theres a Child and Dependent Care Credit that can help. Our goals are to educate individuals about state laws, legislation and policy in support of grandfamilies; assist interested policymakers, advocates, caregivers, and attorneys in exploring policy options to support relatives and the children in their care; provide technical assistance and training. As of 2017, this number has skyrocketed due to the opiate addiction epidemic in America. Many caregivers in support groups express the idea that just knowing there are others in the same situation is very helpful. Make a call to 800-829-3676 and ask for publications number: 501, 503, 596, 970, 972, and Form 8839 to be sent to your address or email. In some counties, human service agencies are coming together, sharing ideas and resources, and offering innovative services to kinship care families. If you are a grandparent or relative caregiver caring for one or more grandchildren, know there are financial, medical, and legal resources and caregiver support available through government, charity, and community organizations. For more information, search our site, leave a comment, or drop us a line at admin@freefinancialhelp.net. Lent leads the national effort to set a unified agenda and coordinates the work of organizations serving and advocating for grandfamilies. People want to help but can't if they aren't aware of your need. Write down your own thoughts and questions to ask when it is your turn to talk. The mission of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (SGRG) is to identify, promote, coordinate and disseminate information, resources, and best practices to help grandparents and older relative caregivers of children meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the children in their care, while maintaining their own physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Contact the Department of Human Health and Human Services to apply. Both may feel some discomfort having children with them in certain social situations. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Make a written agenda of your questions and what you want to learn. Caregivers may also be able to get good legal help even if they cannot afford to hire a lawyer. She is a board member on the Fairfax County Virginia Kinship Family Institute and was instrumental in its founding. PA, and gives information and resources that can provide assistance and support to caregivers. 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