Delaware-defacto custodians
http://www.uwex.edu/grg/section.html
Overview
During the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Legal and Policy Issues satellite videoconference video segments feature pertinent laws, policies, and programs in states. Information about featured programs has been collected below and linked to the corresponding state in order for interested persons to learn more segments. Click on each state for additional details.
In Colorado, El Paso County has initiated an innovative human service program combining child welfare and TANF dollars which builds on the strengths of grandparents. A major component of the program is "listening" to what grandparents or relatives say they need and responding with appropriate assistance.
Delaware has recently passed two laws empowering grandparents who have no legal authority (informal custody) to enroll their grandchildren in school and to obtain medical care.
Kentucky enacted a de facto custodian bill, Senate Bill 205, about two years ago to give grandparents equal standing in court with their grandchildren’s parents in custody disputes.
Ohio developed the Navigator Program which helps grandparents "navigate the system" to ensure they receive the services they need.
Washington is featured twice in the videoconference. First, the Native American Kinship Care Program on the Yakama Nation reservation is described. Second, mediation an alternative to court for grandparents and their families, is described.
Colorado
El Paso County in Colorado has made exciting changes in policies. El Paso County has initiated an innovative policy so that child welfare and TANF dollars and personnel can work together to build on the strengths of grandparents. In addition to the voices of grandparents, the director and a caseworker from the El Paso Department of Human Services describe the program and its impact. The Director of the El Paso County Department of Human Services, David Berns, is a participant on the videoconference. This case study might be of interest to your local human services director, TANF social worker, county administrator or executive, county board supervisors or others who develop, implement and provide oversight to human services programs.
Contact:
Elizabeth (Tibby) Beard, Caseworker
El Paso County Department of Human Services
105 N. Spruce Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
(719) 444-5223
Elizabeth.Beard@...
Fannie and Joe Houston Grandparents
David Berns Director, El Paso County Department of Human Services
Tibby Beard Case Worker, El Paso County Department of Human Services
Additional Information:
David Bern Article Â
Delaware
Delaware has recently passed two laws, which help grandparents who do not have legal custody of their grandchildren. These laws allow the grandparents to enroll the children in school and to approve medical care. The video case studies include the perspectives of a legislator, a school administrator, a physician and a grandparent. Individuals in your community who might benefit from information about this case study include the local school superintendent, local HMO administrators, physicians, and local legislators.
Contact:
Carol Boyer, Administrator, Joining Generations
Delaware Health and Social Services
Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities
1901 North Du Pont Highway
Main Building Annex
New Castle, DE 19720
(302) 577-4791 Ext. 15
cboyer@...
Patricia Blevins State Senator (D), Delaware
Theresa Birch-Hunter Grandparent
George Meney Deputy Superintendent, Colonial School District
Julia M. Pillsbury, D.O. Doctor of Osteopathy, Delaware Chapter of Pediatrics
Â
Additional Information:
Delaware State Senate Bill No. 277
202.Free Schools; ages; attendance within school district; nonresidents of Delaware
708.Affidavit of Establishment of Power to Consent to Medical Treatment of Minors. Â
Â
Kentucky
Professionals and grandparents in Kentucky joined together to support passage of Senate Bill 205, a de facto custodian bill. Kentucky was featured in the 1999 videoconference, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Implications for Professionals and Agencies. In this video case study, professionals and a grandparent involved in the passage of SB205 share what has happened and what they have learned since the passage of the state law. Key individuals who can help make legislative changes, including local and state legislators and groups of grandparents, would be particularly interested in this case study.
Contact:
Sam Quick, Ph.D., Human Development & Family Relations Specialist, Professor Department of Family Studies,
University of Kentucky
320 Funkhouser Bldg.
Lexington, KY 40506-0054
(859) 257-7753
squick@...
Wayne Harper Grandparent and Licensed Counseling, Psychologist
James Keller Justice, Supreme Court of Kentucky
Nancy Andrews Aging Services Coordinator
Patti Bostic Grandparent
Additional Information:
Kentucky State Senate Bill 205 - De Facto Custodian Bill Â
Ohio
The state of Ohio has made exciting changes in policies. Ohio has started a Navigator Program to help grandparents "navigate the system" and to ensure that they receive the services they need. Perspectives from the Adoption and Kinship Section, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and the Department of Aging and from a grandmother assisted by the Navigator Program are included in the video case studies. This case study might be of interest to your local human services director, TANF social worker, county administrator or executive, county board supervisors or others who develop, implement and provide oversight to human services programs.
Contact:
Barbara Fuller, Center for Healthy Communities
Wright State University, Kettering Center
140 E. Monument Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45402-1267
(937) 775-1116
barbara.fuller@...
Ronald Browder Chief, Bureau of Adoption and Kinship Care Services, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Joan Lawrence Director, Ohio Department of Aging
Carol Hall Grandparent
Additional Information:
History of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren movement in Ohio which resulted in state funding for the Navigator Program
Overview of Navigator Program
Requirements for organizations to be a Navigator Program
Project Report: Grandparent Advocate Program Â
Washington
In the state of Washington, members of the Yakama Nation are affected by tribal and non-tribal laws, policies and programs. A Yakama tribal member and member of the Northwest Intertribal Court System discusses the development and benefits of the Native American Kinship Care Program funded by the Casey Family Programs and grandparents who are raising their grandchildren reflect on their experiences. Professionals who work with Native Americans might be especially interested in this case study.
In the state of Washington, mediation is sometimes used as an alternative to the court system in solving problems faced by grandparents raising grandchildren. A member of the Northwest Intertribal Court System: a mediation trainer, and a relative who participated in a very successful mediation will tell their stories. Mediators who would like to consider expanding their training and practice to include grandparent families might be especially interested in this segment. If no one locally is providing mediation, think about what agency might want to develop a mediation program and share this information with a representative of that agency.
Contact:
Casey Family Programs Native American Kinship Care
Nila Whiteshirt-Sears, MSW, Coordinator
509/865-1876
nwhiteshirt-sears@...
Hilari Hauptman, Program Manager
Washington Department of Social Health Services,
Aging and Adult Services Administration
640 Woodland Square, Loop S.E.
Lacey, WA 98503
(360) 725-2556
haupthp@...
Â
Paula Casey Superior Court Judge, Thurston County, Family and Juvenile Court
Jana Evans Stepmother
Julian Pinkham Yakama Tribal Member and Member of the
Northwest Intertribal Court System
Gerry Miller Grandparent
Claudia Williams Community Coordinator, Native American
Kinship Care Program, Yakama Nation
Francis Gurge Grandparent
Lena Owens Grandparent
Janet Keiser Lambarth Pend Oreille County Faculty Chair, WSU Cooperative Extension
Additional Information:
Mediation Resolves Disputes- Discussion of what mediation is
Overview of the Mediation Process
8-Step Process- 8 steps used in the mediation process
Ordering Information for Video: "Mediation for Kinship Caregivers: An Alternative to the Courtroom" (10 ½ minutes)
Native American Kinship Care Program
Mediation Organizations and Websites Â
|
loisjs5875@...
grandmom25248
 Offline
 Send Email
|
Having problems with message search?
Fill out this form to ensure your group is one of the first to be migrated to the new message search system.
