Indy Standard

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Bob Casey (D-Penn.) have introduced the bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act, aimed at connecting grandparents raising grandchildren with existing resources.

“More than 2.7 million children in America are being raised by grandparents or other relatives, often with few places for these caregivers to turn to for support. Our bipartisan bill would help ensure these grandfamilies are better connected to the resources that are available to them,” said Senator Young.

“Grandparents raising grandchildren face unique challenges under difficult circumstances,” said Senator Casey. “In recent years, the need for ensuring these families are supported has become even more dire as the opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic have forced more and more grandparents to take on unexpected caregiving duties. My bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act will ensure that grandparent caregivers know about and take advantage of the resources they need and deserve.”

Millions of children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. These so-called “grandfamilies” or “kinship families” often qualify for federal support due to unique challenges and a disproportionate risk of poverty; however, awareness of these benefits is not widespread among eligible families. The Informing Grandfamilies Act would require states to provide grandfamilies with information about available resources and hire staff with expertise to guide them through the benefits process.

A one-pager about the bill is available here.