(Sep 26, 2023) Central PA Delegation
HARRISBURG, Sept. 26 – Pennsylvania House Aging and Older Adults Committee Majority Chair Patty Kim was joined by fellow Democratic state representatives and grandparents’ rights advocates in the Capitol on Tuesday to introduce a legislative platform to support grandparents and kin caregivers raising young relatives in Pennsylvania. “In Pennsylvania today, grandparents or other relatives are the primary caregivers for an estimated 202,000 children whose parents are absent for a number of reasons,” said Kim, D-Dauphin, Cumberland. “These grandparents and relatives are doing truly heroic work taking care of these vulnerable children, but they need critical financial, educational, and health care supports from the state to help them raise their grandkids. Our legislative package will go far in ensuring that caregivers have short term emergency help and that children remain with their grandparent and kin caregivers.” The legislative program includes: Kim’s H.B. 1688, which would establish a grant program to allow Area Agencies on Aging to assist in specific instances where grandparents need short-term emergency help to address the personal care needs of the grandchild who is living with them. Many grandparents supporting grandchildren are low-income households depending upon social security, Medicare and Medicaid. They aren't always equipped to address emergency personal needs of the child or children for whom they are caring. Read more