Casey, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Better Support Grandparent Caregivers

Casey's bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Actwould require states to inform grandparents raising grandchildren about the resources available to them

An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends

Grandfamilies face unique challenges and often are eligible for support from federal programs, but awareness of benefits is not widespread

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Informing Grandfamilies Act, a new bill that would ensure grandparents raising grandchildren receive the support they need and deserve. An estimated 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends, and while so-called "grandfamilies" or "kinship families" are often eligible for federal support due to unique challenges and disproportionate risk of poverty, awareness of these benefits is often not widespread among grandparents. Casey's Informing Grandfamilies Act would require states to provide grandfamilies with information about the resources available to them, and hire staff with the necessary expertise to guide grandfamilies and kinship families through the benefit process.

"Grandparents raising grandchildren face unique challenges under difficult circumstances," said Senator Casey (D-PA). "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."

"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 billwould help ensure these grandfamilies are better connected to the resources that are available to them," said Senator Young (R-IN).

Senator Casey has been a strong advocate for grandfamilies and kinship families for years, with a particular focus on ensuring they are able to access the benefits and resources they need to thrive. He led the passage of the bipartisan Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, which established the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, tasked with providing recommendations to Congress on how best to support grandparent caregivers. In May 2023, he introduced the bipartisan Grandfamily Housing Act, which would finance the upkeep and retrofitting of intergenerational housing and provide supportive services for grandfamilies and kinship families. Senator Casey also introduced the Grandfamilies Act to improve the financial security of grandfamilies by expanding access to benefits.

Read more about the Informing Grandfamilies Act here.

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