I will soon be introducing legislation to provide much needed support to grandfamily/kinship caregivers. Specifically, families in which children reside with and are raised by their grandparents.

Throughout Pennsylvania many families of grandparents supporting grandchildren are low-income households depending upon social security, Medicare and Medicaid. Often, they are facing complex issues and aren't financially equipped to address emergency personal needs of the child or children for whom they are caring.

Although responsible for addressing the needs of older adults, Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) struggle to aid these grandparents. This legislation will provide grants to AAAs to evaluate and assist in those instances where grandparents need short-term emergency help to address the personal care needs of the grandchild who is living with them.

Many factors may contribute to the prevalence of families with grandparents raising their grandkids, including poverty, parental incarceration, maternal mortality, parental illness, single parent families, and military deployments. Whatever the reason, these grandparents represent an important part of the care economy and are deserving of recognition and support.

Currently, over 7.6 million children across the country live in households headed by grandparents, other relatives or a close family friend.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 2.74 million U.S. children (3.7% of all children) were being raised by a grandparent, meaning the child was living with at least one grandparent who was responsible for most of their basic needs. According to the most recent figures, in Pennsylvania, among children younger than 18: And among Pennsylvania adults:

 Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation.