This permanency option promotes the preservation of family, community, and cultural ties and potentially reduces racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare. The providers terms, conditions and policies apply. CONTACT: Illinois Department of Human Services. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) requires child welfare agencies to work with the tribe with which a child is affiliated. This is the first program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to offer such services to kinship foster families through a private, nonprofit entity. Your family and friends care about you and may be willing to help, but you may have to ask. Her experience in interprofessional practice and education spans 30 years. Bette was a foster parent for 30 years, caring for more than 150 children since 1972. 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. Resources The Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Center compiles free and online legal resources in support of grandfamilies within and outside the child welfare system. She is the proud Gramma to more than 40 of the worlds most remarkable grandchildren, one of whom she delivered, and 5 great grandchildren. She is the recipient of a 7Everyday Hero Award, a Colorado Non-Profit - William Funk Award and the Brookdale Foundation Grandfamilies Award. Whenever Christy C. mentions the two grandchildren who live with her, she bursts with pride. Write down or record information rather than rely on your memory. . She received her Ph.D. from Duke University in clinical psychology, her MPH, focused on chronic disease epidemiology, from Yale University, and her B.A. Keep it simple and start small; two or three people in the beginning afford a good start. To conclude the meeting the council was able to come to a consensus on recommendations covering the span of five areas of concern that will be applicable to the National Caregiver Strategy and wellbeing of Kinship families and Grandfamilies. American Community Survey: 2003 Multi-Year Profile for United States. Publicize meetings through posters, flyers, press releases, ads, announcements or letters-to-the-editor in newspapers, local TV, and radio. She is a faculty member in the Departments of Community Medicine and Population Health and Family, Internal, and Rural Medicine. Plan on contacting them weekly. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. She has served in many leadership positions at HRSA including director of the Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education and acting director of the Division of Nursing. Deborah Cox-Roush was appointed by the president as director of Senior Corps for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). In the past week, LegiStorm added: 279 new people; 49 new organizations; 161 new photos; 565 job history records for people in our database; 222 education records for people in our database; 997 contact addresses, emails and URLs (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. She has practiced nursing for more than 35 years to include clinical and administrative positions, and is a veteran, having served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. . dhss. In addition to the state's child guardianship and custody laws, the following laws may be helpful to kinship caregivers: Medical Consent (11 PA Cons. Please enter your email address below to create account. Carmen Snchez is an education program specialist in the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education, managing the parent center program, which consists of grants with Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers for families of children with disabilities throughout the country. Some group organizers choose to avoid the phrase support group" in their titles. 800- 843-6154 (press option #1) < www.dhs.state.il.us >. She and her husband have been a stabilizing force in his life, and they remain committed to supporting Cameron however they can so that he can live a successful life. Thats only one in twelve of eligible children. Discussion topics include financialassistance grants and local support programs to help you raise your grandparent. Prior to CFPB, he worked at AARP on two different occasions, with his most recent role being the vice president of financial resilience programs. Toni Kleckley, M.A., D.Th., is a 10-year chaplain, licensed and ordained, with her doctorate in theology and M.A. Set aside couple's time" by scheduling time alone and going out on dates when the children's needs have been met or responsible child care has been secured. State Fact SheetsThe Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children in Pennsylvania state fact sheet (developed jointly by the Child Welfare League of America, AARP, The Brookdale Foundation, Generations United, and the National Center for Resource Family SupportCasey Family Programs); . Apply here. More information about the network of parent centers that support families of children with disabilities can be found at parentcenterhub.org. Also, find out if your state offers any additional programs like guardianship subsidies, non-parent grants or kinship care. Instead, they prefer names like coffee club" or relatives as parents" to avoid any stigma some associate with being in need of support. Human service professionals can facilitate this goal by joining together (e.g., forming local kinship care task force groups), sharing ideas and resources, and mobilizing to address the unmet needs of kinship care families. Dr. Lamont was the project officer for the Caregiver Supplement to the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), which collected data on the status of caregivers that can be linked to the needs and characteristics of their care recipients. She has a long history of involvement with community, nonprofit, and philanthropic causes related to women, economic empowerment, small business development, and job creation. Assistance programs help children remain within their own families, which helps address separation anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues experienced by disrupting their home lives. Please visit the links below to view the live stream recording and other meeting materials: Receive important announcements, events, and resources via email. The number of grandparents and other older relatives who are caring for children is significant and growing, in part due to the opioid crisis. You're certainly not alone. Ask for business cards. So, Gail took charge. The SGRG Council met virtually for its second meeting on April 23, 2020. Keep in mind that they are probably not happy or proud of their behavior. Your certificate(s) of completion have been emailed to . For a wealth of information on kinship care or Grandfamilies visit the Generations United website, Contact: Generations United, 1333 H Street NW, Suite 500 W, Washington, D.C. 20005. Write your grandchild's date of birth, Social Security Number, health care information, important telephone numbers, etc., on the inside of the folder. Go to: www.childrensdefense.org and in the search area, type in kinship care resource kit. And always, in the event of an immediate emergency, dial 911 or visit PA Suicide Hotline website to find the numbers for the suicide and crisis hotline in your county. Guardianship may have slightly different meanings according to your state of residence, so be sure to double check all information with local laws. To conclude the series, families plan and conduct a GRANDFamily celebration. Realizing the opportunity for outreach and the power of social media, Sharon created Facebook groups for grandparents and other relatives raising children. The fostering ends when the parent can care for the child or until the child is 18. Phone: 202-434-2296. Camerons father filed a custody petition, but after two years in family court, Charlotte was able hold onto Cameron and keep him out of harms way. 82,556 grandparents in Pennsylvania are responsible for the basic needs of their grandchildren. Contact: Generations Together, 412-648-7150; Generations Together Web site, Offered by A Second Chance, Inc., this program was established to provide direct services to families serving as kinship foster homes in Allegheny County. The Eck family, Terry, Sandy and Jack Jr. Terry and Sandy took custody of their grandson when he was 22 . grandparents and other relatives in many of these households are the primary caregivers for children whose parents cannot or will not care for them due to substance abuse, illness and death, abuse and neglect, economic hardship, incarceration, divorce, domestic violence, and other family and community crises? Choose a name and decide the purpose of your support group. What is the system?" Collect contact information from all who attend. This section shares tips and information on how kinship caregivers can work with service providers and human service agencies at the state and national levels. In November of 2018, he served on the Kinship Action Planning Group to provide recommendations regarding a menu of supports for kin families. published April 30, 2021. She worked with youth and families in the therapeutic foster care system. In recent years, increased attention has been devoted to intergenerational physical activity (PA) programs because they may have several benefits for both children and older adults (e.g., the reduction of ageism). The information presented in this booklet was drawn from many resources, including the AARP fact sheet, Support Groups for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (2003), the Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising ChildrenPennsylvania State Fact Sheet (developed jointly by the Child Welfare League of America, AARP, The Brookdale Foundation, Generations United, and the Casey National Center for Resource Family Support), the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Pennsylvania: How Do Our Laws Work? See InsureKidsNow.gov or call 877-543-7669 for more information. The Gerontology Center focuses on developing inter-professional health care providers to deliver care for older adults, developing community-based programs to address social determinants of health for older adults and leading community-engaged research, of which grandparents raising grandchildren is one area of focus. Assign specific roles such as finding a guest speaker on an area of special interest to the attendees. Learn who is in charge of the services you need. 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. Family-strengthening sessions focus on family communication, problem solving and anger management skills, and life skills education. She belongs to several civic and professional organizations, including the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, Bettendorf Rotary, Scott Community Foundation Board, Davenport Community School Foundation Board, the Iowa Medical Alliance, and the Scott County Medical Alliance. She holds a B.S. Kinship caregivers have access to all sorts of valuable resources. Further, kinship care providers or their friends may feel they no longer share common interests with each other. Grandparents raising grandchildren tip 1: Acknowledge your feelings The prospect of raising grandchildren is bound to trigger a range of emotions. Sharon and her husband continue to care for one of the children, now a young adult, due to severe disabilities. Becoming a kinship care provider may happen suddenly, and it can prove very difficult to adjust to the changes that occur. Some examples are listed below. 1-800-322-7572, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) . PA, and gives information and resources that can provide assistance and support to caregivers. As foster parents, grandparents raising grandchildren are entitled to financial help for the childs living expenses. Please visit the links below to view the meeting presentations, live stream recording, and meeting summary. She joined CDC in 2004 and has published more than 100 articles and book chapters on aspects of cognition, disability, caregiving, and aging. If they live close, invite them over for a family dinner. Sharon Olson had raised her children and was in the process of opening a new business back in 1994when she got a call that changed her life. Joan Weiss, Ph.D., RN, CRNP, FAAN, is an adult and gerontological nurse practitioner who serves as the senior advisor in the Division of Medicine and Dentistry at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Sarah is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Bar Association of Erie County, Bar Association of Niagara County, Women Lawyers of Western New York, and the Womens Bar Association of Western New York. She has worked in each of the CMHS divisions during her time with CMHS. In the first part of the series, participants hear stories about African-Americans' experiences in quilting. For more information or to learn how to fill out the grant application, contact the New York State Kinship Navigator at: She worked for six years with the District of Columbias Commission on Mental Health Services as Chief of the Residential Placement Unit where she worked to bring home children with serious emotional disturbances who had been placed in out-of-state residential care. Working at the national level, Sharon has been a long-time member of the advisory committee for Generations United and is the GrAND network representative for Minnesota. It is also worth noting that in Pennsylvania, kinship caregivers face certain legal challenges not encountered by caregivers in some other states. You may be eligible for cash assistance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), help with child care, health care coverage for your grandchildren, home heating assistance (LIHEAP), school meals, and more. Relationships with Extended Family and FriendsThe extended family can include other adult children and grandchildren, aunts and uncles, and even other grandparents. She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. The report highlights council activities since the passing of the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, including member selection, subcommittees, key meetings, and the future report to Congress. Apply online. CE Approval Collaborative Approval Period: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 through August 31, 2024. Bette is also a board-certified trainer on aspects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Learn More. Some support groups also take on a proactive and political component as they work toward making improvements in local or state policies. SSI rules also cover children. Through her past work, she began to understand kinship care of children and the importance of providing support to families providing care for their young relatives. Kinship Care in Pennsylvania: Support for Families with Grandparents and Other Kin Raising Children, Skip to the beginning of the images gallery, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging website, Pennsylvania Area Agencies on Aging website, Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging Web site, U.S. Census data on grandparents and grandchildren, Arizona Governor's Advisory Council on Aging Web site, Set Limits to Reduce Youth Problem Behaviors and Teach Responsibility, A Guide to Exploring African American Culture, Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children, Human Service Agencies and Service Providers. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. Tammy Proctor, M.Ed., is the supervisory education program specialist for early learning in the Office of Innovation and Early Learning (IEL), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) at the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The challenges faced by Pennsylvania kinship caregivers can be physically and emotionally overwhelming. Javascript must be enabled to use this site. You can find this out at your local Social Security office, or call 800-772-1213 or visit SSA.gov. Keep records of the dates and times you make phone calls. This course, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Key Practice Issues, Approval #07012022-03, provided by NetCE is approved for continuing education by the New Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative, which is administered by NASW-NJ. 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. It's possible that the issues you may be facing will be new to the first agency you contact. . Christmas assistance programs. Developing & evaluating intergenerational initiatives in diverse settings. in pastoral care and counseling. Many of the families in their county have suffered tremendously due to poverty, emotional and physical health issues, and lack of supports. In other instances, hiring a lawyer may be the best route to follow. She represents non-parent relatives of children at risk of placement in foster care. 3. Decide how you will handle any group expenses. On October 20, 2020, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (SGRG) Advisory Council finalized 22 recommendations intended to advance change and improve supports to kinship families and grandfamilies of all ages. Guardianship suspends parental rights until the parent can prove to the court they can successfully care for the child/children. Guardianship is a strategy and permanency option that can help caregivers, including relatives, financially provide for a child without going through an adoption process. Cameron is now 8 years old and has lived with Charlotte and her husband since he was 4 months old. Topics covered include stress management, relaxation techniques, massage therapy, nutrition, low impact exercise, and parenting skills, interspersed with spiritual components. You can see a doctor and receive medications without cost. She is a founding and charter member of NewFound Families (previously known as FACES) and served as their vice president of kinship for more than five years. As this was an informal emergency placement, Dr. Kleckley was not involved with the child welfare system or the courts. Activities for adults, children, and youth are included. However, there may be other programs that can benefit you and your grandkids. She is a trusted voice on Capitol Hill on issues related to grandfamilies and intergenerational cohesion, having testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging and in several briefings. Grandparents raising grandchildren face many challenges including dealing with the complicated systems of child welfare, education, healthcare, and the aging network. Anyone can see the surface view of a grandparent raising a grandchild, things like putting off retirement due to financial strain, finding childcare, forgoing personal time or interests, being the oldest PTA volunteer, or having a unique family structure. In particular, Pennsylvania has no laws relating to financial and support services for kinship care, nor does the state have a law specifically relating to educational consent for children in a kinship care situation. She serves on the boards of WV CARES, Charleston Institute Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the Adverse Childhood Experiences Coalition of West Virginia (ACEs Coalition of West Virginia), Kanawha Chapter of the NAACP, and West Virginia Child Advocacy Network (WVCAN). Such feelings often contribute to adversarial relations between the caregiver and the parent; such a state of affairs is typically not in the best interests of the child, particularly when the children are likely to have an ongoing relationship with their parent(s). 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. Dr. McQueen-Gibson serves on the Virginia Board of Nursing, the Board of the Southern Gerontological Society, and volunteers at the Community Free Clinic of Newport News, VA. Contact Pennsylvania Legal Services at 800-322-7572 or 717-236-9486. . Or, if your household income is too high to qualify as a family, ask about the child-only grant for just the grandchilds support alone. If you qualify, you may be eligible for other benefits as well. 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