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WILKES-BARRE — Brenda Saba and Beth O’Boyle were two of several grandparents who told emotional stories about raising grandchildren during a Wednesday forum at Wilkes University.

The real-life tales — some challenging, some tragic — “tear at your heartstrings,” said state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski.

Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, was joined by advocates and state officials at the forum aimed at shedding light on the issue and moving the Legislature to provide more help to grandparents.

“We heard from so many grandparents today with tragic stories that really tear at your heartstrings,” Pashinski said. “But the one common parallel between them all is that these grandparents have stepped up to the plate and are raising their grandchildren when the children’s parents cannot.”

In Pennsylvania, Pashinski said there are approximately 90,000 grandparents raising more than 235,000 grandchildren because the children’s parents are unable or unwilling, often due to drug or alcohol issues.

“The opioid epidemic, which has been declared a public health emergency, is only exacerbating the problem,” Pashinski said. “It’s bad enough that we’re losing so many of our young people to opioid addiction, but when they leave behind children it makes the situation that much more difficult.”

Pashinski praised the grandparents for taking on the responsibilities of parenting by taking in their grandchildren. He said the grandparents have saved Pennsylvania taxpayers more than $1 billion — often at a financial detriment to themselves.

“The Legislature needs to look into this and do what we can to help these grandparents who are putting the needs of Pennsylvania’s children ahead of their own,” Pashinski said.

He has introduced House Bill 1539 — legislation aimed at helping grandparents assume temporary guardianship of their grandchild. He said the bill would still protect the rights of the parent, but give the grandparent the legal authority to make basic legal decisions like enrolling the child in school or authorizing medical care.

“I don’t feel anyone is actually hearing us,” Saba said. “The court system needs to look at the laws and consider grandparents. Reunification with chronic addictive parents is not in a child’s best interest.”

O’Boyle said the children don’t have a voice in what happens to them.

“These children need an education,” O’Boyle said. “But who is the voice for these children. They can’t vote, they have no money.”

O’Boyle and Saba said the costs to grandparents, like court costs and attorney’s fees, are prohibitive. She said raising young children alters the grandparents’ lives significantly, with many experiencing psychological issues that can affect marriages, family relationships and more.

They said the children experience feelings of abandonment, and they long to see their parents, which often creates a volatile, unsafe situation.

At the end of the day, Pashinski said all panel members agreed that the issue needs to be addressed.

“The welfare of the child is of extreme importance,” Pashinski said. “The transition between the loss of the parents due to drug abuse, alcohol, incarceration, domestic violence, is extreme. We need to make that transition as smooth as possible to help the grandparents and the children.”

Pashinski said statistics show that when a child is raised by a family member, the rate of success is much higher than if raised in foster care.

“It’s a complex problem,” he said. “We will continue the conversation to assure grandparents get the help they need and the children are given the opportunity to succeed.”

Joining Pashinski: Erin Raub, executive director of the Republican Senate Aging and Older Adult Services Committee; Troy Dunston, coordinator of the Caregiver Support Program at the Pennsylvania Department of Aging; Lotte Powell, a grandparent raising a grandchild; Secretary Teresa Osborne, Department of Aging.

Several agencies were also represented: Kelly Lyons, Luzerne County Head Start; John Aciukewicz, executive director of Luzerne County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Howard Grossman, director of the NEPA Intergenerational Coalition; Michael Zimmerman, executive director at Family Service Association of NEPA; Marilee McDonough and Tara Vallet, Early Intervention Services; Attorney Jeremy Weinstock, Comitz Law Firm; Joanne Van Saun, Luzerne County Children and Youth.

Brenda Saba testifies at a hearing for grandparents to discuss challenges they face raising their grandchildren at Wilkes University on Wednesday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL113017grandparents1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgBrenda Saba testifies at a hearing for grandparents to discuss challenges they face raising their grandchildren at Wilkes University on Wednesday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

An audience of about 75 listens to testimony about grandparents raising their grandchildren at a special forum at Wilkes University on Wednesday. The forum was organized by state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL113017grandparents2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgAn audience of about 75 listens to testimony about grandparents raising their grandchildren at a special forum at Wilkes University on Wednesday. The forum was organized by state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, discusses issues related to the growing trend of grandparents raising their grandchildren.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_TTL113017grandparents3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgState Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, discusses issues related to the growing trend of grandparents raising their grandchildren. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Bill O’Boyle

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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.