State program helps grandparents raising grandchildren
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[As Illinois observed Grandparents Day on Sunday, September 11, the Illinois Department of Aging is reminding families about a program to help grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) program helps assist and promote awareness of older caregivers and other relatives who are helping raise their family's children.
More than 200,000 Illinois children live in grandparent-headed homes, and the number of grandparents serving as "primary caregivers" is increasing. A primary caregiver grandparent is anyone who lives with and is responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren under the age of 18.
"These special grandparents are often unaware of the resources to assist them in providing a stable environment to raise their grandchildren," said Michael Gelder, acting director of the Illinois Department on Aging. "It's an important decision to take on the role as primary caregivers for their grandchildren when the parents are unable to. These grandparents need to know there's somewhere to turn for help during this additional round of parenthood. The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program provides support services, and in some cases financial assistance for emergencies," said Gelder.
The Department on Aging awards grants to not-for-profit organizations through GRG to provide referral services to local resources to help grandparents. GRG offers help during emergencies such as financial assistance for utility bills, medications, food and clothing. Grandparents may get legal assistance to secure guardianship and establish custody back up plans when the grandparents are no longer able to provide care; therapeutic help for children who have lost a parent or significant caregiver through death, divorce or abandonment; mentoring; counseling, respite care and advocacy.
Some advisory groups for grandparents raising grandchildren (and kinship families) include: Illinois Task Force on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children; Chicago Task Force on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children; Southern Illinois Task Force on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children. All meet quarterly.
For more information about the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (and kinship) programs, including a list of agencies offering services, visit www.state.il.us/aging or call the Senior HelpLine at 800-252-8966 (for hearing impaired 888-206-1327.)