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For generations, grandparents have held countless vital roles in Pennsylvania families, such as becoming a second set of arms to hug after a big day at school, an extra set of hands for busy parents, an additional set of ears for listening and most importantly an extra home when needed.
In these times, especially here in Luzerne County, grandparents are taking on a far more demanding and critical role to help their grandchildren meet the challenges of everyday life.
The opioid epidemic has shaken so many Pennsylvania families to the core and oftentimes have left behind children with parents who are unable to care for them. The result is a generation of traumatized children who are catapulted into a vicious cycle of extraordinary challenges which threaten their future.
Once these children turn 18, 1 out of every 4 will experience homelessness, struggle with mental health challenges, such as depression, substance abuse and anxiety disorders and have a 25% chance of being arrested.
In addition, children in the PA foster care system only have a 53% chance of graduating from high school.
Instead of allowing these detrimental cycles to continue, grandparents are on the front lines trying to break these cycles by stepping in and providing the kinship care that is needed. This is kinship care, the full-time care of nurturing and protection of children by relatives or any adult who has a kinship bond with the children.
As anyone can imagine, raising a second family is no easy feat, especially when it comes to navigating the challenges of technology, the courts and state agencies. That’s why for the past eight years I have had the pleasure of working with an incredible group of local grandparents to try to get the help the grandparents need to address their problems.
Because of their bravery in sharing their stories about their grandchildren, we began working with Chairwoman Watson to pass Act 89, which initiated the kinship caregiver navigation program.
This legislation provides resources and a toll-free number to help new kinship families see what resources are available to guide them as they pursue their responsibility of taking care of their grandchildren.
In addition, I also authored HB 1539 and in 2018 Gov. Tom Wolf signed the bill into law. This law provides a financial pathway for grandparents to quickly obtain temporary guardianship of their grandchildren so that they will have the legal authority to make important decisions related to their grandchildren’s medical care and their education.
In addition, with the help of these grandparents I started the Advocacy Fund For Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (AF4GRG), which is the only group in Pennsylvania to financially help grandparents with legal fees required to provide grandparents the legal authority necessary to care for their grandchildren.
Keeping these children with kin and out of the foster care system is one of the most effective tools we must use to break the cycle of opioid addiction and end this horrific epidemic.
As we celebrate grandparents’ day today I won’t only be thinking of my own loved ones, but I’ll be thinking of the 80,000 Pennsylvania grandparents who have tossed their retirement to the wind and who are giving 165,000 Pennsylvania children a second chance for a positive future.
Words cannot express my sincere respect and gratitude I have for these wonderful grandparents. God bless you all.
Happy Grandparent’s Day, and I thank you once again for the courage and love you provide to help your grandchildren every day.
Someone once said, “love is the greatest gift that one generation can leave to another.”
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, represents to 121st District.