HJ0031eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0031 Engrossed LRB094 11668 DRJ 43659 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 31

WHEREAS, In Illinois, over 200,000 children under the age of 18 are living with and being cared for by more than 100,000 grandparents; and

WHEREAS, Grandparent caregivers, the majority of whom are single women ranging in age from 30 to 90 with an average annual income of $15,000 to $25,000, typically raise one to two grandchildren and have been doing so for five years or longer; and

WHEREAS, Factors contributing to the growing number of grandparents raising grandchildren include, but are not limited to, alcohol and drug abuse, neglect, abuse, abandonment, death of a parent, HIV/AIDS, divorce, unemployment, poverty, parental incarceration, teen pregnancy, and welfare reform; and

WHEREAS, Due to their assumed caregiving responsibilities, many grandparents deplete their savings and retirement income and face severe financial risk and economic strains while struggling to pay for expenses related to caring for the grandchildren, such as, but not limited to, food, diapers, clothing, child care, medical treatment, legal assistance, and housing needs; and

WHEREAS, Many grandparents take custody of and raise their grandchildren after a harmful incident has been suffered by their grandchildren that has caused the Department of Children and Family Services to designate them to be "at risk"; and

WHEREAS, Many other grandparents take preventive measures by choosing to take custody of and raise their grandchildren prior to their grandchildren suffering a harmful incident when they recognize that their grandchildren's health, safety, and welfare are at risk; and

WHEREAS, Grandparents who take custody of their grandchildren prior to the grandchildren's suffering of a harmful incident are ineligible for foster care funding and assistance from the Department of Children and Family Services; and

WHEREAS, The only financial assistance option for this group of grandparents is "child only" grants from the Department of Human Services' Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program provides monthly financial assistance that is three to four times greater than the TANF "child only" grants, and it also provides counseling, child care support, education services, college scholarships, and health services; and

WHEREAS, Grandparents raising grandchildren who are not in the foster care program are as valuable to the grandchildren and to the State as those who are in the foster care program; and

WHEREAS, A significant function of government is to promote the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Joint Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren is created and shall be comprised of ten members of the Illinois General Assembly appointed as follows: 3 members of the Senate, one of whom shall be co-chairperson, appointed by the President of the Senate; 2 members of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; 3 members of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be co-chairperson, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and 2 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; all Joint Task Force members shall serve without compensation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Department on Aging, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and Family Services, Public Aid, and Human Services and any other relevant agencies, shall issue a report to the Joint Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren no later than July 1, 2005 that assesses existing State and federal assistance programs that include the following:

(a) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Children and Family Services' foster care program, including counseling, child care support, education services, college scholarships, and health services; KidCare and other relevant programs;

(b) a review of all guaranteed benefits and other available support provided to grandparents through the Department of Human Services' TANF program and other relevant programs;

(c) a review of all other means of grandparent-related support provided by State-funded and federally funded programs; and

(d) the estimated cost to the State if grandparents were not willing to or refused to take custody of and raise their grandchildren; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren shall hold public hearings throughout the State regarding services needed by and available to grandparents raising their grandchildren; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force on Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren shall issue a report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2006 that makes recommendations on changes that should be made to services provided to grandparents raising their grandchildren through the foster care and TANF "child only" grant programs.