The Detroit News is committed to producing solutions journalism stories covering and aiding caregivers in connecting to resources. Here are some in Michigan to connect with based on your situation:
Michigan State University Kinship Resource Center
Website: www.kinship.msu.edu
Phone: 800-535-1218; 517-355-9600
Email: kinship@msu.edu
Service area: Statewide
Description: The Kinship Care Resource Center is one of the five community programs within the School of Social Work at MSU. Services include: Kinship Navigator services, information and referral, education opportunities, webinars, print resource guides and brochures, and an electronic newsletter.
Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency- Senior Services, Kinship Care Program
Website: www.nemcsa.org/services/senior-services/kinship-care.html
Phone: 989-356-3474 or 800-219-2273
Email: aging@nemcsa.org
Service Area: Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego,Presque Isle and Roscommon counties
Area Agency on Aging 1-B
Website: https://aaa1b.org
Phone: 248-357-2255 or 800-852-779
Offers: Help people access the services and programs they need to remain living independently and with dignity in their own homes or with family caregivers. Provide direct care programs for seniors, along with funding and support for programs provided by partner organizations.
Service Area: Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties
Area Agency on Aging 1-A for Detroit
Website: https://www.detroitseniorsolution.org
Phone: 313-446-4444
Service Area: Detroit, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park and the five Grosse Pointes
Programs that might help grandparents
Local programs that provide support, resources and assistance to grandfamilies can often be found by contacting your local school, area agency on aging, community center, faith-based organization or children’s services office.
Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County – Grandparents as Parents Program (GAP)
Website: http://csswashtenaw.org/parenting-families/grandparents-as-parents
Phone: 734-971-9781 (Press #8 for Senior Services)
Email: fkhan@csswashtenaw.org
Service area: Washtenaw County
Description: Support groups, home visits, bi-annual newsletter, resources and referrals. Support groups currently occur virtually over Zoom due to COVID-19 and will return to in-person when possible.
Detroit Area Agency on Aging – Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Website: www.detroitseniorsolution.org/grgc
Contact: Crystal White
Phone: 313-446-4444, ext. 5288
Email: whitecr@daaa1a.org
Service Area: Detroit, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Harper Woods and the five Grosse PointesDescription: Support groups and other services through the National Family Caregiver Support Program.
Elder Law & Advocacy CenterWebsite: https://nlsmichigan.org/elder-law/
Contact: Erin Peets, Grant Administrator or Erma Thomas, director of programming
Phone: 313-937-8291
Email: epeets@wcnls.org; ethomas@wcnls.org
Service Area: Wayne County (except Detroit and Hamtramck)
Description: Information and referral and legal assistance to age 60 or above.
Jackson County Department on Aging – Caregiver Support Program
Website: www.co.jackson.mi.us/623/Caregiver-Support-Programs
Phone: 517-788-4364
Service area: Jackson County
Description: Permanency navigation services for kinship caregivers 55 years of age or older.
Lenawee Department on Aging
Website: http://www.lenaweeseniors.org
Contact: Beth Mehan-Wood
Phone: 517-263-3585
Email: bwood@lenaweeseniors.org
Service area: Lenawee County
Description: Support groups and educational opportunities.
Michigan 2-1-1
Website: www.mi211.org
Phone: 2-1-1 (toll-free); 844-875-9211
Text: Text your zip code to 898211
Service Area: Statewide
Description: 2-1-1 is a free service that connects Michigan residents with help and answers from thousands of health and human services agencies and resources in their communities. 2-1-1 is a confidential service, and can help with accessing food, housing and paying bills.
Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) – Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Website: www.olhsa.org/grandparents-raising-grandchildren
Phone: 248-209-2721; 248-372-1915 (text)
Email: Lisag@olhsa.org
Service area: Macomb, Oakland and Livingston Counties Description:
Provides: Free support group and resources to kinship caregivers (grandparents and other relatives as parents) who reside with relative children. Intergenerational activities and virtual meetings or webinars with an emphasis on health and wellness. Free to enrolled Livingston, Macomb and Oakland County residents in kinship care.
Description: If you are 55 or older and caring for a related child younger than 18, this program might be able to help you with expenses such as recreational activities, school supplies, clothing, needed furniture and more.
Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL)
Website: https://palgroup.org; find a local meeting at https://meetings.palgroup.org/meetings
Phone: 480-300-4712 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Email: info@palgroup.org
Service Area: Belding and Temperance
Description: PAL is a national faith-based nonprofit that helps families learn healthy ways to deal with an adult child struggling with addiction. Meetings are facilitated by parents who complete the training program and receive ongoing education. Weekly meetings include an evidence-based educational component using a curriculum written by a licensed substance abuse counselor, and peer-to-peer support. Meetings are offered free of charge to both the facilitator and the attendees.
Region IV Area Agency on Aging- Caregiver Newsletter
Website: areaagencyonaging.org/caregiver-newsletter
Phone: 269-408-4332 or 800-654-2810
Email: info@AreaAgencyonAging.org
Service area: Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties
Description: Bi-monthly newsletter with information and resources.
Saginaw County Commission on Aging- Kinship Caregiver Support Program
Website: www.saginawcounty.com/departments/boards___commissions/commission_on_aging
Phone: 989-797-6880 or 866-763-6882
Service Area: Saginaw County
Description: Assistance to adults aged 55 and older, support groups, monthly newsletter, information and referrals, case management, free educational and recreational events and emergency and respite funds.
Public Benefits
Federal and state public benefits programs can help with income, food, healthcare, home energy, telephone and other needs for those who are eligible. Eligibility requirements vary with each public benefit and sometimes are different from state to state. Some benefits are for the family and others are for children or older adults individually. Children are often eligible for public benefits even if their caregivers do not have guardianship or legal custody. Relative caregivers may become eligible for benefits programs when their household size increases.
AARP Foundation’s Benefits QuickLINK
Benefits QuickLINK, powered by BenefitsCheckUp of the National Council on Aging, offers a free and private way to complete a questionnaire to find out if relatives and/or the children they are raising qualify for certain programs that pay for food, increase income and cover home and healthcare costs. The specific programs covered by the questionnaire on the website are listed below. Once the questionnaire is completed, the website generates a list of eligible programs and contact information.
Website: www.aarp.org/quicklink
Description: An official website of the federal government, this resource has state-specific information on benefits, in addition to a screening tool to find out which programs you may be eligible to receive visit: www.benefits.gov
The National Eldercare Locator
Description: helps you find your local area agency on aging and other state and local resources that can help with public benefits, local programs and other services for older adults.
Phone: 800-677-1116
Website: eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx
Income
Each state administers federal funds that provide cash assistance to families in need. Some states also offerother forms of financial assistance.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
Cash assistance may be available to eligible children and their relative caregivers. There are two types of TANF grants: child-only and family grants. Under virtually all states’ policies, caregiver income is not considered in determining eligibility for TANF child-only grants. TANF child-only grants are based solely on the income of the child, and are designed to help meet the needs of just the child. Child-only grants are not subject to time limits and work requirements like TANF family grants, which are limited to 5 years.
To access TANF, contact the Michigan Department of Human Services
Phone: 855-275-6424 (855-ASK-MICH)
Website: www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_5526—,00.html
Generations United’s Grand Resources
A fact sheet for grandparent and relative caregivers to help access support through the Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) Program
Website: www.gu.org/resources
Social Security
Social Security provides income benefits to adults, older adults and children. In addition to retirement and disability benefits, survivor’s benefits are based on a child’s parent’s earnings and may help if a child’s parents die. Your grandchild may also qualify for benefits based on your work record. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits are also payable to people 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial limits.Find your local Social Security Administration office:
Phone: 800-772-1213
Website: https://secure.ssa.gov
Nutrition
Relative caregivers and their families may be eligible for assistance with groceries, meals, infant formula and nutrition education. These are some of the key nutrition benefits programs and resources.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
SNAP is the new name for the federal Food Stamp Program. It helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need for good health. Although SNAP is the national name, multiple states use different names. In Michigan, contact:
Michigan Food Assistance Program (FIP)
Michigan Department of Human Services
Phone: 855-275-6424 (855-ASK-MICH)
Website: www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_5527—,00.html
Women, Infant and Children (WIC)
Website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic
To find local food banks: www.feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx
Health Care
Relative caregivers and the children they are raising may be eligible for health insurance through Medicare and/or Medicaid and help with prescription drugs. Benefits QuickLINK can help you find these benefits.Website: www.aarp.org/quicklink
Relative caregivers may apply for free or low-cost health and dental insurance for the children they are raising through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health coverage to eligible children through both Medicaid and separate CHIP programs.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Phone: 855-275-6424 (855-ASK-MICH)
Website: hwww.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_2943_4845-17752–,00.html
Medicaid
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Phone: 855-275-6424 (855-ASK-MICH)
Website: www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_4860—,00.html
Education
U.S. Department of Education
The federal department offers a parent site that has a wide range of helpful information for parents and caregivers regarding children’s education from early childhood through college, special needs, disabilities, language challenges and gifted students.
Phone: 800-USA-LEARN (800-872-5327)
Website: www.ed.gov/parents
Michigan Department of Education
Phone: (517) 373-3324
Website: www.michigan.gov/mdeRelative caregivers can contact their local school district’s administrative office or their local school to find out how to register the child and what paperwork is needed. Caregivers may need birth records, health records or previous school records. Laws that allow relative caregivers without legal custody or guardianship to enroll the children they are raising in school. These laws are often called education “consent” laws.
Early Intervention, Special Education and Related Services
The Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – From birth to age 21, children who have learning disabilities, physical disabilities or other special needs may be able to get early intervention, preschool and special education services in school through the federal IDEA. Services may include speech, physical and occupational therapies.
Contact: Michigan Department of Education, Special Education & Early Intervention Services
Phone: 517-373-0923
Website: www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-6598—,00.html
Build Up Michigan
Michigan Department of Education
Phone: 888-320-8384
Website: www.buildupmi.org
Description: Provides information to help parents and caregivers with children who have special education needs and disabilities.
Early Childhood Education
Phone: 866-763-6481
Website: eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/center-locator
Description: Head Start and Early Head Start are early education programs for eligible children.
Child Care Aware
Phone: 800-424-2246
Website: www.childcareaware.org/families
Description: Provides information, resources and connection to local Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&R) that help you find local child care.
Legal
Adoption
With adoption, the relative caregiver becomes the parent in the eyes of the law. This fact makes access to services on behalf of the child the same as for any parent. Adoption ends all of the birth parents’ rights and responsibilities, which means that birth parents cannot go to court later and reclaim those rights and responsibilities. Adoption assistance payments may be available to relative caregivers who choose to adopt children in their care from the child welfare system. For adoption assistance:
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Phone: 248-860-3210
Contact: Patricia Neitman, program manager
Email: neitmanp@michigan.gov
Website: http://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs
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