5237920 Resolution 20-689, "Grandparent Caregivers Program Subsidy Transfer Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014"

A RESOLUTION

                                                        

20-689

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

November 18, 2014         

 

 

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to allow the Grandparent Caregivers Program subsidy to be transferred to a relative caregiver when a grandparent is no longer able to care for the child.

 

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Grandparent Caregivers Program Subsidy Transfer Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014”.

 

            Sec. 2.  (a)  The Grandparent Caregivers Program (“GCP”) was established by the Grandparent Caregivers Pilot Program Establishment Act of 2005, effective March 8, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-69; D.C. Official Code § 4-251.01 et seq.). The GCP provides a monthly stipend to eligible low-income District of Columbia residents to help raise their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great nieces, or great nephews. Caregivers use the financial assistance to help care for child relatives residing with them.

(b) The GCP is intended to keep children out of foster care when there is a family member who is willing to care for the child but needs financial help to do so. In 2013, the program served 449 households with 685 children.

(c) The Child and Family Services Agency (“CFSA”) has found that elderly caregivers receiving a subsidy have become unable to provide care for a child because of failing mental or physical health or because of death. Unless another relative is willing to care for the child, the child is vulnerable and at risk of entering foster care. If a relative is willing to care for the child but needs financial support to do so, it makes good sense to allow the GCP subsidy to be transferred to that relative. Continuing the subsidy remains true to the intent of the law, which is to keep children from being placed in foster care. Continuing the subsidy also strengthens the safety net in place for these children. In addition to the emotional benefit of keeping children within a family, the GCP subsidy is far more cost effective than foster care.

(d) This emergency legislation would allow the GCP subsidy to be transferred to another relative who is related to the child by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, or adoption or is a godparent of the child. The transfer of the GCP subsidy would help divert children from entering foster care, and would support families remaining intact. The legislation will further CFSA’s efforts in building a robust service delivery system that maintains the urgency of keeping families together and children out of foster care.

 (e) There are 685 children who could at any time be placed in the position of needing to enter foster care if an elderly grandparent caretaker becomes unable to continue caring for them. The placement of even one child in the foster care system, when the alternative of being able to continue to live with a family member is available, would certainly adversely affect the child’s health, welfare, and economic well-being.

 

            Sec. 3.  The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Grandparent Caregivers Program Subsidy Transfer Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 be adopted after a single reading.

 

            Sec. 4.  This resolution shall take effect immediately.