The Grand Voice
Winter 2018 
Vol. 2, Issue 2
Grandfamilies at the annual State of Grandfamilies report release event

Top Stories

Click the image to enlarge.

On October 11th, Generations United released the 2018 State of Grandfamilies Report,  Love Without Borders: Grandfamilies and Immigration, which highlights the additional hurdles faced by grandfamilies who come together as a result of a parent's detention or deportation. Those hurdles include restricted access to support and services to help meet the children's needs, language barriers, and fear of government agencies.  Check out the recap of our release reception. 


Generations United also recently released an update to the 2016 State of Grandfamilies Report. The 2018 update of Raising the Children of the Opioid Epidemic: Solutions and Support for Grandfamilies highlights the sharp increase in drug overdose death rates among adults of childbearing age leaving grandparents and other kin to raise children.


In a decision published on October 4, 2018 by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was declared unconstitutional, jeopardizing the landmark legislation protecting tribal children. The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) has summarized the decision and the harm it could cause. Read their summary.
 
 
Mark Your Calendars -  Generations United is teaming up with Bridge Meadows to co-host the next Global Intergenerational Conference in Portland, OR, from June 12-14, 2019. The premier conference for professionals to learn, network and share innovative practices and programs in the intergenerational field will include grandfamily sessions and a special pre-conference on Serving Grandfamilies Through the Family First Prevention Services Act. This is an opportunity you don't want to miss!
Grandfamilies in the News GFNews
Policy in Action PIA

Kinship Navigator Programs

A total of 57 Title IV-E agencies have received
federal funding for kinship navigator programs , 46 states, the District of Columbia, 2 territories and 8 tribes. The five title IV-E agencies that did not apply for kinship navigator funding were: Delaware, Idaho, Maine, South Dakota and Chickasaw Nation. These funds were  made available because of a $20 million appropriation in 2018. An additional round of funding was included for 2019. Generations United will share information when applications for additional funds become available. Funds may be used to develop, enhance, or evaluate kinship navigator programs. 

Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act

Nominations to serve on the Advisory Council To Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren are due Dec. 3, learn more about the nomination process .  

Opportunity for Public Comment on Proposed Rule on Public Charge

The Trump administration has released an opportunity for public comment to respond to a notice of proposed rulemaking about "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds." This proposed rule could negatively impact children in grandfamilies with immigrant members. Generations United encourages advocates for grandfamilies to submit comments highlighting the potential impact of the proposed rule.  Comments are due Dec. 10th. Page 15 of Generations United's 2018 State of Grandfamilies report will be a helpful background resource on the rule.
Grand Voices on the Move GV
Generations United's combined GrAND Voices network now boasts 66 members representing 42 states and 12 tribes. Here are some additional highlights of GrAND Voices activities this year:

  • GrAND Voice Robert Brown's family recently adopted their three grandsons. Congratulations to the Brown family! 

      
  • In July, GrAND Voice Renée Skinner attended a Family Voices United kick off meeting in Harrisburg.
  • In August, GrAND Voice Iona Jenkins attended a Family Voices United kick off meeting in South Carolina.
     
  • Also in August, GrAND Voice Sonya Begay participated in a broadcast of Native America Calling about grandparents raising grandchildren. Listen to the episode.
     
  • In September, GrAND Voice Chris Mathews was on a local show, Aging on the Suncoast, where she talked about her experiences as a grandparent caregiver.
     
  • In late September, GrAND Voice Melodye James spoke at the Ohio Grandrally with Family Voices United.
     
  • GrAND Voice Bob Ruble was featured in the September/ October Issue of Fostering Families TODAY. 
     
  • In October, Annie and Jack Otto attended the State of Grandfamilies release event; Victoria Gray participated in the AZ DCS Annual Leadership Summit; Victoria Gray, Dolores Bryant, and Carmen Kalama attended a conference on the 21st Century Child Welfare System in Los Angeles; and Eugene Vickerson participated in a release event for the Chronicle of Social Change.
     
  • This week, GrAND Voice Joanne Clough participated in a ceremony where Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed two major pieces of legislation, House Bill 1539 and House Bill 2133 (now Act 88 and 89 of 2018), into law.
Proven & Promising Programs PPP

Camp Mariposa: A Place Where Kids Transform


"I think all the kids here understand what I've been through and what everyone else at this camp has been through and it's really, really nice to be around people like that, that understand."  -Emily, camper

Children impacted by familial substance use disorders have increased risks of developing substance use disorders of their own. At Camp Mariposa, these children find a safe, fun, and supportive environment that is critical to helping break the cycle of addiction.  The camp is a national addiction prevention and mentoring program run by the Eluna and local partners for youth ages nine to twelve who have a family member, most often a parent, with a substance use disorder. Approximately 40 percent of the youth who participate in the Camp Mariposa program live in foster or kinship care
and 40 percent of these children live with a grandparent. It is a no-cost weekend camp that meets six times a year and where campers get to participate in traditional camp activities like canoeing and ropes courses and activities that are combined with education and support exercises that are led by mental health professionals. See more information.

Do you have a program you would like us to consider featuring? Email Diane Roznowski at droznowski@gu.org.
Freshly-Baked Resources FBR

Generations United recently released Love Without Borders: Grandfamilies and Immigration which highlights grandfamilies who come together as a result of a parent's detention or deportation. 
 
Generations United recently updated Raising the Children of the Opioid Epidemic: Solutions and Support for Grandfamilies which includes new data on the opioid epidemic and highlights the sharp increase in drug overdose death rates among adults of childbearing age.
 
Generations United released two fact sheets, African American Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Family and Culture and American Indian and Alaska Native Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Family and Culture , as part of the Grand Voices Racial Equity Initiative. The purpose of the Grand Voices Racial Equity Initiative project is to improve culturally-appropriate supports and services to African American and Native American grandfamilies by elevating their voices, perspectives, and expertise to inform and influence policy, practice, and research.
 
The Annie E. Casey Foundation has developed a comprehensive training program that teaches foster parents and kin caregivers how to support children who are grappling with trauma. It is available for free online.
 
ZERO TO THREE, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health gathered a set of resources for parents, caregivers, and professionals working with very young children who have been impacted by separation and other trauma.

The American Bar Association recently released " The Opioid Crisis and the Elderly," which highlights the ways in which the opioid epidemic is affecting older Americans.
About 
Grand Voice is a quarterly e-resource for
grandfamily advocates and their allies distributed by Generations United's National Center on Grandfamilies. Grand Voice seeks to highlight key resources, policy updates, action opportunities, and program highlights to inspire and improve services and supports to grandfamilies across the U.S. Look for the next issue in your inbox this February. Sign up for Generations United's weekly e-newsletter, Generations This Week  here .

Do you have something you want to have considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue of the Grand Voice? Please contact Alan King at aking@gu.org.