Year One Progress Report 

Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act

Prepared by

Administration for Community Living

Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

November 2020
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

BACKGROUND. 

The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act  

Selection of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. 

MEETINGS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL. 

First Council Meeting. 

Second Council Meeting. 

Third Council Meeting. 

REPORT TO CONGRESS. .

CONCLUSION. .
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 3

INTRODUCTION

The number of grandparents and other older relatives who are caring for children 

is significant and growing, in part due to drug and alcohol misuse, incarceration, 

economic instability, military deployment, and mental illness. Although caregivers’ lives 

are enhanced by the experience, providing full-time care to children can decrease 

caregivers’ abilities to address their own health and well-being needs.

Recognizing that these caregivers would benefit from improved coordination of 

resources intended to support them, as well as better dissemination of information 

about those resources, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act

(the Act), S1091, established the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising 

Grandchildren (the council).

This report serves to highlight council activities since the Act was passed, including 

the process for selecting council members; the role and purpose of council 

subcommittees; the information shared during the three full council meetings held 

between August 28-29, 2019 and September 15, 2020; and an update on the status 

of the council’s report to Congress.

For the purpose of this report and the ensuing work of the council, the broad term 

“Kinship Families and Grandfamilies” was adopted by the council at its April 2020 

meeting. The broad term is used to define families in which children are being raised 

by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. Council members agreed to 

adopt the two harmonized terms, to be used as proper nouns, for use in its future 

deliberations including in the report to Congress. 

The adoption of this broad definition by the council reflects a commitment to 

respecting the diversity and the cultural preferences of caregivers raising children 

today, while also recognizing that a significant challenge faced by both Kinship 

Families and Grandfamilies is the current lack of standard and consistent definitions 

and processes. 
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 4

BACKGROUND

The Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act 

The Act, which became law on July 7, 2018, directs the Secretary of Health and 

Human Services (HHS) to establish an Advisory Council to Support Grandparents 

Raising Grandchildren. The Secretary assigned responsibility for implementing the 

Advisory Council to the Administration for Community Living (ACL). 

The council will develop a report that includes best practices, resources, and other 

useful information for grandparents and other older relatives raising children. This 

report will be delivered to the Secretary of HHS, Congress, and the state agencies 

responsible for carrying out family caregiver programs.

Selection of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents 

Raising Grandchildren

ACL published a Federal Register notice on October 12, 2018, for nominations of 

non-federal members to serve on the council. ACL received 74 unique nominations 

for individuals expressing interest in serving on the council. ACL staff reviewed the 

nominations and settled on a field of 18 proposed nominees. In deciding which 

nominees to select, the following factors were considered:

1. Kinship type: The Act requires that a “grandparent raising a grandchild” and an 

“older relative caregiver of children” be included on the council. Based on the mix 

of nominations received, ACL selected individuals whose situations reflected these 

relationships. 

2. Other professionals: ACL recommended that professionals with pertinent levels 

of expertise be included on the council to ensure that complex areas of the 

council’s tasks are adequately addressed. To accomplish this, eight nominees with 

experience in advocacy, direct service, academia, and research were nominated for 

consideration.

3. Geographic and regional spread: The experiences of kinship caregivers and the 

professionals who work in this field can vary based on the state/region, as well as 

available resources and programs to support them. To ensure a non-federal council 

membership that reflected a cross-section of the country, at least one nominee 

from each HHS region is included.

4. Letters of support: Most of the nominations included letters of support and references 

from employers, co-workers, elected officials, etc. ACL used this additional information 

when and where applicable to support its recommendation to nominate.
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 5

MEETINGS OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL

First Council Meeting

On August 28th and 29th, 2019, the council convened for the first time in Washington, 

DC. The inaugural meeting included remarks from Lance Robertson, Administrator 

and Assistant Secretary for Aging at ACL, and Eric Hargan, Deputy Secretary of HHS, 

both of whom emphasized the importance of the council’s work. Presentations on the 

first day included an “Overview of Grandfamilies, supportive policies, programs and 

resources;” “A look at Grandfamilies and their needs and dynamics, with an emphasis 

on African-American Grandfamilies;” and “An in-depth look at American Indian and 

Alaska Native Grandfamilies.”

The convening of the council was a major first step in HHS’ effort to provide 

information on resources for supporting grandparents and older relatives, including 

those available to help meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of 

the children in their care, as well as maintain their own physical and mental health 

and emotional well-being. The council must also consider the unique needs of 

grandparents and other relatives raising children affected by the opioid crisis and must 

ensure the needs of Native Americans are addressed.

Subcommittees 

On the second day of the inaugural meeting, council members broke into seven 

small working groups to discuss priority areas they thought should receive further 

examination and in-depth consideration in future committee meetings. The groups 

discussed the following topic areas:

■ Services and support

■ Health, nutrition, mental health

■ Education

■ Special needs of grandparents and older relative caregivers

■ Impact of opioid crisis

■ Grandparent or relative caregiver needs: cultural differences

■ Public policy: legal and financial implications
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 6

After review by ACL and the council co-chairs, four subcommittees were established.

Subcommittee 1: Education and Outreach for Families and Professionals. This 

subcommittee focuses on educating professionals, families, and the public on the 

needs and strengths of Grandfamilies; outreach to connect Kinship Families and 

Grandfamilies with necessary services and support; and coordinating services 

across agencies. This committee will also address working with schools and 

related systems to meet the educational needs of the children.

Subcommittee 2: Health Focus: Mind, Body, and Soul. This subcommittee 

addresses the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of both the caregivers 

and the children.

Subcommittee 3: Unique Needs and Strengths of Grandfamilies. This 

subcommittee considers the unique needs, strengths, and circumstances 

of various special populations of Kinship Families and Grandfamilies. The 

subcommittee’s specific focus is on grandparents and other relatives raising 

children as a result of the opioid crisis or other substance use, and grandparents 

and other relatives raising children within tribal communities.

Subcommittee 4: Legal and Financial Issues, Income Supports, and Housing. This 

subcommittee focuses on financial and legal issues facing Kinship Families and 

Grandfamilies as well as availability and access to income supports and housing.

Since the inaugural meeting, the subcommittees have met regularly to discuss and 

make action plans for their priorities. Through the subcommittees, council members 

have guided the development of information gathering tools and made action plans for 

their priority areas to facilitate the development of the report to Congress. Meetings 

of the full council and the subcommittees have been facilitated by ACL staff and the 

subcommittee co-chairs. 

Second Council Meeting

On April 23, 2020, the council convened for the second time, this time virtually. The 

purpose of this meeting was to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective 

of Kinship and Grandfamily caregivers. Through facilitated discussion, council 

members also reviewed a of glossary terms pertinent to kinship care and agreed upon 

terms that would be used by the council in all future meetings and materials. Finally, in 

this meeting the council created and adopted a vision statement as well as five guiding 

principles. 
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 7

In his opening remarks, Administrator Robertson conveyed the mission statement for 

the council, which will serve as a roadmap for its work moving forward:

“The mission of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren 

(SGRG) is to identify, promote, coordinate, and disseminate information, resources, 

and best practices to help grandparents and older relative caregivers of children 

meet the health, educational, nutritional, and other needs of the children in their care, 

while maintaining their own physical, mental, and emotional well-being. As part of this 

mission, all recommendations will consider the needs of members of Native American 

tribes and families affected by the opioid crisis.”

Advisory Council Responds to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Following the global pandemic outbreak in March 2020, council members began 

to explore ways to get timely information to Kinship Families and Grandfamilies to 

educate and help them stay safe. Council members submitted resources they had 

found personally useful or were aware of due to their professional experience. Upon 

receiving the recommended resources, ACL staff reviewed and compiled them into five 

major topic areas: 

■ COVID-19 Resources for Kinship Family and Grandfamily Caregivers 

■ General COVID-19 Information from the Federal Government 

■ Tips for “Staying Connected” in an Emergency

■ Helplines and Hotlines 

■ Resources for Health Care and Social Service Providers

With the resources from council members and the above list as a table of content, 

the council developed a customized resource document: COVID-19/Emergency 

Preparedness Resource Guide for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies.

Establishing Common Terms for Council Use and Report to Congress

After a discussion of the many related terms that can be used to define families 

in which children are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family 

friends, council members agreed to adopt the two harmonized terms listed below for 

use in its future deliberations including the report to Congress:

TERMS DEFINITION

Grandfamilies Term used to describe a situation where children are being raised 

by their grandparents.

Kinship Families Families in which children reside with, and are being raised by, other 

extended family members or adults with whom they have a close 

family-like relationship, such as godparents and close family friends.
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 8

With the adoption of a mission statement and common terms, council members 

discussed and agreed to adopt the following as its vision statement: 

“The Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (SGRG) will 

be a leader for identifying and sharing resources to support, educate, empower, and 

advocate for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies. The Council will increase awareness 

and understanding of the needs of these families to ensure they are treated with 

respect and dignity. By honoring cultures, values, and diversities, we will create a 

better future so that families can flourish.”

Develop and Adopt Guiding Principles

The final portion of the meeting focused on an intensive revision and editing session, 

during which the council discussed and collectively drafted, edited, and adopted a set 

of principles that will guide its work and the recommendations it makes to Congress. 

The council’s guiding principles to support Kinship Families and Grandfamilies are as 

follows: 

1. We recognize and define Kinship Families and Grandfamilies as families in which 

children reside with, and are being raised by, grandparents or other extended family 

members, or adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship.

2. Activities will promote greater adoption of person- and family-centered supports 

that place Kinship Families and Grandfamilies at the center of every support 

system, while also acknowledging the challenge of possible conflicting goals.

3. Efforts will aim to empower Kinship Families and Grandfamilies to advocate for 

themselves to meet the needs of the child and family members. With improved 

access to resources they may engage and contribute meaningfully in their 

communities.

4. Recommendations should recognize and support Kinship Families and 

Grandfamilies in a fair and impartial manner considering the physical, cultural, 

emotional, and financial impacts.

5. The National Family Caregiving Strategy will include and amplify the voices of 

Kinship Families and Grandfamilies.

Third Council Meeting

On September 15, 2020, the council convened virtually for its third meeting. The 

purpose of this meeting was to learn about the submitted responses to a Request 

for Information (RFI) that the council had posted earlier in the year. Finally, the council 

discussed high-level recommendations to be included in its report to Congress.
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 9

HHS Secretary Alex Azar opened the meeting with a video message in which he 

acknowledged the stability, permanency, and sense of belonging grandparents and 

other kinship caregivers provide for the children in their care. He said Kinship Families 

and Grandfamilies are “national assets we must all cherish and they deserve the best 

we have to offer in terms of support, recognition and understanding.” He commended 

council members for their hard work. He expressed his belief that each member brings 

a unique and critical perspective to this work that will fulfill Congress’ expectations 

for the Act, and more importantly, will improve the lives of Kinship Families and 

Grandfamilies.

The Council Chair, Administrator Robertson, provided opening remarks and thanked 

members for their commitment, expertise, guidance, and all the resources they bring 

to the work of the council. He also thanked members of the public who tuned in 

to participate in the discussions and expressed appreciation for their interest. He 

called the meeting to order and reminded members to check out a recent blog post 

by the meeting co-moderator, Lori Stalbaum, titled “Led by Love: ACL Recognizes 

Grandfamilies on Grandparents Day 2020,” calling out the incredible sacrifices and role 

grandparents play.

Request for Information (RFI) Analysis and Findings

To ensure that there is a balanced and robust collaboration and input from all 

stakeholders, an RFI was issued via the ACL website on December 7, 2019, and 

closed on February 7, 2020. In response, ACL received 307 submissions that provided 

1,908 total responses across the nine categories of information for which ACL was 

seeking input. A thorough review and analysis of all responses was conducted so the 

information can be included in the council’s report to Congress.

It should be noted that the deadline for submissions was before the COVID-19 

pandemic; therefore, data collected and analyzed does not reflect any information 

pertinent to this topic area. Furthermore, while demographic data was not specifically 

requested as part of the RFI, based on the analysis of responses, it was determined 

that almost half (47.56%) of respondents were grandparents and almost 1/3 (31.27%) 

of respondents were from community organizations or government agencies. 

Wilma Brockington-Parker, analyst, gave a presentation of her analysis and findings 

of the 307 submissions received in response to ACL’s RFI. The presentation 

separated responses by purpose and outcomes based on the information requested 

in the RFI, an overview of the responses, primary issues, respondent concerns, and 

recommendations. 
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 10

Among the findings is the fact that some respondents noted they did not know nor 

were they prepared for the financial pressures/consequences they experienced. 

The data showed that some types of support or financial assistance were only 

available to the 60+ population, while it is well documented that many caregivers are in 

their 30s, 40s, or 50s. This, in addition to programs that may vary by the state where 

one resides, can present undue barriers for kinship and grandparent caregivers. A 

question about whether additional legislation is needed to better serve and support 

Kinship Families and Grandfamilies received 77.8% positive responses. 

Primary issues identified by respondents, per Ms. Brockington-Parker’s analysis, included:

■ Health, safety, and what is best for the children

■ Lack of preparedness for financial pressures and consequences, such as housing, 

legal, medical, employment opportunities, and childcare

■ Managing physical and mental health issues

■ Lack of a “gatekeeper” between biological parents and the children

■ Not having appropriate, affordable, and/or supportive advocacy

■ Issues are multi-faceted, variable, and intertwined 

■ Lack of information, as shown by the frequent comment that respondents don’t 

know what they don’t know, such as how to find information about available 

resources or financial support mechanisms

Ms. Brockington-Parker also noted that respondents expressed concern in the 

following areas, shown in order of highest to lowest frequency of responses:

■ Finances

■ Legislation/Laws

■ Legal Assistance

■ Schools/Education

■ Addictions

■ Housing

■ Food/Nutrition

■ Respite

■ Physical Health

■ Mental/Emotional Health

■ Medical Health

Finally, Ms. Brockington-Parker identified 337 recommended resources provided 

by respondents. These include 201 state/national programs, 78 publications, 39 

research articles, 13 books, and 6 videos, all of which the council will review before 

disseminating.
Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act: Year One Progress Report Page 11

Formulating Report Recommendations

The ACL-designated federal officials for the council moderated a discussion among the 

council members of recommendations that were proposed and reviewed in previous 

subcommittee meetings for the purpose of reaching consensus so that they can 

be incorporated into the draft report to Congress. Members engaged in a focused 

deliberation of each recommendation and suggested rephrasing of certain language 

where they deemed necessary. They introduced changes or modifications after 

discussing each recommendation, gave verbal approval to adopt the recommendation 

as is, or in some cases, suggested new recommendations after a careful step-by-step 

discussion of each recommendation. 

The meeting closed with the moderators explaining what the council members could 

expect next, which included ACL first reviewing and revising the recommendations 

document based on feedback received during the meeting, followed by ACL polling the 

non-federal members to indicate their agreement with the revised/reworded document 

of recommendations developed during this meeting. 

REPORT TO CONGRESS

The council has made progress in identifying information for its report to Congress. 

The report is informed by submissions to the RFI referenced earlier, including the 

resources provided in response to the RFI as well as from a review of existing 

literature; presentations by and discussions with experts in the field; and, of course, 

from the council members’ experience and expertise.

Areas of focus in the report will serve to identify unmet needs of Kinship Families 

and Grandfamilies; as well as identify systemic gaps and highlight model approaches 

or best practices currently used in the field; provide useful resources; and 

recommendations for improving the lives of Kinship Families and Grandfamilies and the 

children that they love and care for every day.

CONCLUSION

Although the council members have been thoughtfully, diligently, and thoroughly 

fulfilling the requirements of the SGRG Act, this work has just begun. The investment 

and commitment of policymakers and advocacy groups, as well as the continuous 

input/participation from the public, are critical to the success of this legislation. 

The public can follow the council’s continued progress at ACL.gov/SGRG, which is 

regularly updated to include full council meeting dates and materials.