Bill Overview
Title: Informing Grandfamilies Act
Description: This bill requires states to notify kinship caregivers (e.g., grandparents or other relatives caring for a minor child) about (1) the care and placement options under federal, state, and local laws; (2) the requirements to become a foster family home; (3) whether the state has elected to make guardianship assistance payments; and (4) other policies under the state program that may assist such caregivers.
Sponsors: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Target Audience
Population: Grandparents or other relatives caring for a minor child
Estimated Size: 3000000
- Kinship caregivers include a significant number of grandparents who take on the primary caregiving role for their grandchildren.
- The U.S. Census Bureau reports that approximately 2.7 million grandparents are responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren living with them.
- Kinship care is a growing area of focus given the opioid crisis, economic hardships, and other societal factors that lead to children being placed with relatives.
- Foster care data shows that many children live in homes with relatives outside of the traditional foster care system.
- Policies affecting kinship caregivers will likely affect both current and potential caregivers as they navigate systems for support.
Reasoning
- Grandparents are often the primary caregivers due to situations like parental substance abuse or financial instability. Informing them about available resources can greatly impact their wellbeing.
- The estimated budget and reach of the policy indicates that not all kinship caregivers will be affected immediately; it would be a phased impact over the years.
- Well-being scores will vary depending on factors like the availability of services in particular states and the caregivers' current knowledge levels.
- Each caregiver might experience different levels of impact based on how involved they are with state systems and their current understanding of resources.
- The policy's design focuses significantly on bridging information gaps, which can lead to improved economic and emotional wellbeing for caregivers.
- The cost limit may affect the extent and quality of information dissemination in various regions, particularly in rural versus urban areas.
- Cultural factors may play a role in how caregivers perceive the benefit of accessing additional support systems highlighted through the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Retired teacher (Ohio)
Age: 68 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel overwhelmed and often don't know what support is available to us.
- This policy could help me understand what options we have and make me feel less alone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Construction worker (Texas)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel okay now, but more information would definitely help.
- We could use more clarity on what financial assistance might be available.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired nurse (California)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I already know about most support options because I've been doing this for a while.
- The policy might not change much for us personally but could help others in my community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Part-time retail worker (New York)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel really stressed and not sure where to turn for help.
- If the policy gives me clearer options, that would ease my burden significantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Retired military (Florida)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being informed early about benefits and options could really help manage our finances better.
- I appreciate the initiative, but I'm cautious about its actual implementation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Homemaker (North Carolina)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I know some things, but I'm sure there's a lot more we could be accessing.
- With my health issues, knowing further help is out there could relieve some pressure.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired auto worker (Michigan)
Age: 78 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like there's help out there but it's impossible to navigate it on my own.
- Any sort of guidance this policy offers would be a blessing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Nurse (Illinois)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I manage okay, there's always room for more support that I might not currently have access to.
- If the policy truly augments our options, it could be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Farmer (Wyoming)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Living in a rural area, we seem to miss out on a lot of state-level support.
- The policy might bring attention to underserved regions like mine.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Part-time librarian (Massachusetts)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm doing okay but any further support, especially financial, would help.
- I hope this would fill some of the gaps I'm unaware of.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $18000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $26000000)
Year 3: $16000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $24000000)
Year 5: $15000000 (Low: $11000000, High: $23000000)
Year 10: $14000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $22000000)
Year 100: $14000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $22000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy's effectiveness will depend on how well states can integrate new notification processes into existing systems.
- The distribution of costs might vary significantly between states, depending on their current capabilities and the size of their kinship care population.
- A potential risk is insufficient funding for proper implementation leading to ineffectiveness in notification and assistance programs.