Annie Hepburn, Director of the Alpena Senior Citizens Council, discusses the Region 9 Kinship Program that provides monies - up to $600/year (in two $300 grants) per/child to assist grandparents (or other relatives) raising a grandchild. The program and application process can be accessed by contacting the local senior center aka Council or Commission on Aging. The Kinship Program provides funds for clothing, activities (sports, music, field trips and more) that a grandparent/relative might not otherwise be able to provide for a child 18 or younger.
Annie Hepburn, Director of the Alpena Senior Citizens Council, discusses the Region 9 Kinship Program that provides monies - up to $600/year (in two $300 grants) per/child to assist grandparents (or other relatives) raising a grandchild. The program and application process can be accessed by contacting the local senior center aka Council or Commission on Aging. The Kinship Program provides funds for clothing, activities (sports, music, field trips and more) that a grandparent/relative might not otherwise be able to provide for a child 18 or younger.
Good morning. This is Kitty Glomski along with
Brooke:my cohost Brooke Mainville
Kitty Glomski:from Region 9 Area Agency and Aging and another episode of Let's Talk About Aging.
Brooke Manville:Good morning. Today I have a special guest, Annie Hepburn. She's the director of the Alpena Senior Citizen Center, and she is here today to discuss the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging's Kinship Care Program that is partnered with the Alpena Senior Citizen Center, a top provider of the kinship program in Region 9. The program was introduced in 2011, but in the past five years, the Alpena Senior Citizen Center has sent in 91 requests for a total of$26,491. And that's helping over 142 youth in Alpena County. So that's a great number, isn't it?
Annie Hepburn:It is. I'm pretty impressed by that. I guess I've never really looked at the full five years, I know what we do, but that is very impressive. Makes me proud.
Brooke Manville:I do want to talk about the request process and how that goes and with you being the top one, you're an expert on how this process works. I'm hoping that we can help more kinship caregivers in our region and I do want to say, even though we're talking with Annie in Alpena, this is available through all 12 of our counties. So this program is open to all the COAs: Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Cheboygan, Iosco, Crawford, Ogemaw, Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Roscommon. So we're talking with Annie from Alpena, but it's open to all 12 of our counties.
Annie Hepburn:How our process here works, Brooke is first of all the kinship program really is for relatives raising relative children, 18 years and younger, and they have to be the age of 55 and over, and living in the county they reside in. Basically for me, it's Alpena County people. When I get a referral, I usually get a phone call that somebody has heard about it or they want to find out more about the kinship program. Or I've had people just come in. So I sit down with them, kind of explain, find out their situation because everybody's situation is different. I try to get to know the caregiver and really what are the needs? Kinship covers different things. It can cover clothing, sports, recreational things, camps, driver's license. So many different things. They come to me with their needs and then the process is that we have an application that we fill out. I ask them questions and I fill out the application usually for them by asking them questions. And then they sign two of the forms, and then I send that off to Region 9 and Region nine goes through the approval process, and most of the time it is approved. Sometimes we have more specific questions to find out. So then they let us know that it's approved. I contact the individuals the funds are available, and then they go shopping, give me the receipts, and we pay them that amount for the child.
Brooke Manville:You talked about a couple things I want to dig a little deeper on the referrals. Who can make a referral? And like you said, they can just walk in and ask for the program, but how do you get some of these referrals?
Annie Hepburn:Several years ago, we reached out to the school systems, the school success workers, and we kind of just talk about that through the school systems. I also have talked to the Boys and Girls Club locally about this program And when I'm out and about, just kinda sharing that this is a program we have. So I think part of it is just and it's happening more and more. It's a situation that they usually get and they're not really prepared for. This money does help them to allow the kids do some of those fun activities or after school activities that they couldn't if they didn't have this program.
Brooke Manville:Kinship caregivers in Michigan. There's about actually 53,000 children that are being raised by kinship caregivers. Some people know this program as grandparents raising grandchildren, but also too, we just changed it to relatives, raising relatives children, because that could be your aunt, a cousin, but like you said, for our program they have to be 55 and older to receive the kinship care program. Also a sad statistic is that 20% of the cases in Michigan are due to drug abuse. So that is a really sad statistic as well.
Annie Hepburn:And I would say Brooke, I'm seeing just more and more situations of that, and young families they're homeless, so the children usually end up with the grandparents, and if we look at the dynamics of life and how hard it is for all of us, and then you throw in different factors there. It just does affect them. What is very important about our kinship program is not only do we provide funds to help them with things, but we also provide resources and support. I sometimes just talk to them about other programs and services that might be available that the grandparents don't know, or the relatives, because they just were put into that situation. And they haven't maybe raised kids for many years and life is different now.
Brooke Manville:Yeah. Life is completely different. I did want to talk about other community resources. So what are some other community resources that you know for these kinship caregivers?
Annie Hepburn:So, I would say there's different resources through region nine. There's also resources for the MSU Kinship Resource Center. There's also resources like families can get help for food through Salvation Army, St. Vincent's. There are different food pantries throughout the community, depending on the age of the children, there are different clothing closets.
Brooke Manville:We have one right of town. The foster closet.
Annie Hepburn:Every community might have different things, but there is different programs that I don't know that everybody's always aware of, and that's something that we can help them with, but I feel like if they call NEMCSA or Region 9, you would also help them with those contacts.
Brooke Manville:We do have a list of those resources compiled. It's called the kinship handbook and there's everything from local baby pantries to foster closets. We also put the probate family court, even places to go get a car seat checked for safety. So depending on what age your youth is, there's resources, information, and it's compiled in one nice little handbook for kinship caregivers to find. You could find it on our website at nemcsa.org, or we give copies to our COAs that provide this program so that they can hand it out as well. If you're filling out a kinship application, ask for that handbook because a lot of times people don't know about these local resources available.
Annie Hepburn:And they don't even know where to start. And the other resource that we did talk about was the MSU Kinship Resource Center.
Brooke Manville:Check it out. They have a navigator. They have a lot of online resources, check them out. Annie, let's go back to the kinship care program now through Region 9. The grandparent can go into your agency and fill out an application twice a year per child up to$300 per request. That's correct?
Annie Hepburn:Yes. Sometimes we'll do part of it for clothing and part of it for a camp or something. So it can be divided as well, but it's$300 per request.
Brooke Manville:For the clothing, it can only be a max of 150. So like you said, 150 for clothing. And then the 150 for another item like camp.
Annie Hepburn:Yes. And if somebody comes to me with a question and I don't have the answer. I always do reach out to Region 9 to ask. Every situation's different, so we can always ask questions. DHHS, Department of Health and Human Services is also a very huge part that has helped me in different situations where the kinship funds wouldn't cover, but when I reached out to them, then we were able to get help in other matters. So again, that's another resource.
Brooke Manville:Like you said, sometimes the grandparents are overwhelmed. They're caring for someone they weren't planning on caring for. A lot of these kinship caregivers, they didn't keep funds in their retirement to care for a youth. They have their medication, all these expenses that they did originally plan for, but now they have a youth on top of that and they just don't have the financial means to help them. These programs that you talked about today are crucial.
Annie Hepburn:From my standpoint here at the Alpena Senior Center, I do the kinship apps. I'm thinking at the other COAs, there's different people that probably do the program, so really just contacting the senior center in your local county asking if they have the program for kinship, and then I would think that they would get to the correct person and get that ball rolling.
Brooke Manville:And how long does it usually take for a application to get from, they fill it out to get it processed and get the items. How long does that usually take within your agency on average?
Annie Hepburn:I always tell them the full approval process can take at least one to two weeks just to be safe. And obviously it's been going, it moves quicker than that usually, but sometimes it could be a little bit longer. So I'm just open with them that usually one to two weeks and I will contact them as soon as I get the approval.
Brooke Manville:Do they need to bring in documentation to show you for the application? Do they need to bring in a driver's or anything about their income, anything like that for you?
Annie Hepburn:No. Sometimes if they have guardianship or something like that, I will ask if they can bring a copy and just to put that in my file but it's not something that they have to have. Because not every kinship person has guardianship or adopted them, or they might be in an informal process, so, they don't need those things but if they have them, sometimes they'll bring them in.
Brooke Manville:Yeah, that's a really good point as well. It doesn't matter if they're formal or informal. They have to be kinship caregivers with the biological parents not living at home anymore.
Annie Hepburn:Yes. That is one of the questions on the application. Do either of the parents live with and they cannot.
Brooke Manville:So you hit on many great things. This program is wonderful. So if you're a kinship caregiver or you know a kinship caregiver, let them know about this program in our 12 county area. Other AAAs besides Region 9 might have a different program. Definitely reach out to your area Agency on Aging or your local Commission or Council on Aging, and they'll help you see what services are provided. Is there any last words of wisdom you have about the kinship care program or any resource?
Annie Hepburn:I would just say for the kinship, especially if you're wondering if it's for you or if you can qualify, call and ask. There are funds available. We have funds here. It's not a hard process and like I said, I really help them fill out the application and try to make it as stress free as possible because they already have enough demands or things going on in their lives that sometimes they just need you to help them. So if I said, take this application home and fill this out, that's just one more stressor. I would rather just help them and then they sign the forms and then I move on with the process of getting it to Region 9 so the funds can be approved and we can get whatever they need. I don't want them to wait a long time and I don't want them to have one more stressor.
Brooke Manville:Exactly. We're trying to relieve their stress, not contribute to it. I did want to add that our fiscal year is October one to September 30th. So our fiscal year is a little bit different. You're allowed two requests within that time period, and you have a great returning population. You have people that come in, they know that cycle, and they're in there getting their two requests in.
Annie Hepburn:They are and every year I have new ones though, so the word is out and I'm glad that it's out and we continue to talk about that program. I have good contacts in our community that has helped me get the referrals and build the program.
Brooke Manville:You do. You have a great program. Continue to grow it. You are doing the work. I did want to share a kinship caregiver from your program shared a story, so I did want to share that quote with you. The kinship caregiver said,"the kinship care program is wonderful. Without it, my two grandchildren would not be able to participate in gymnastics. The program has paid for them for the past four years."
Annie Hepburn:Yep, it's those little things that if you've never been in a situation like that, you don't realize that kids would have to go without that. It's not that the grandparents or the relatives wouldn't want to, they just can't afford it because it wasn't a normal situation. That's awesome that those kids can do that and it brings joy to their life and helps the grandma or the relative. And it's all good.
Brooke Manville:It is all good. So I appreciate you for taking the time to market it, promote it, fill out the applications, and you know, send them on to me, who then I get the approval. So I appreciate your hard work and if you cannot find your local Commission on Aging or Council on Aging Senior Citizen Center, feel free to give me a call at 989-358-4616 and I'll help connect you to the person that can help you fill out your application. Annie, thank you so much for being on today. I do appreciate it. You do a great job and I look forward to having you on again.
Annie Hepburn:No problem. Anytime. We appreciate it.
Kitty Glomski:This is Kitty Glomski and Brooke Mainville, with the Calendar of Events. On the second Wednesday of May, that's May 10th, the MMAP program has a New to Medicare presentation starting at 10 o'clock on Zoom. This is a virtual presentation. This is information for anyone that is new to Medicare, is starting Medicare due to disability or has questions and wants to know how Medicare works. Then afterwards you get to meet one on one with a counselor and talk about your personal situation. To register, you can call 1-800-803-7174 or contact your local Senior Center, your Commission or Council on Aging, and they can make the appointment for you.
Brooke:For the calendar events, I have Diabetes PATH taking place at the Rogers City Senior Center and Community Center, April 21 through June 2nd from 1:00 to 3:00. That's a in-person Diabetes PATH. To register, please contact me at 989-358-4616. Again, that was 989-358-4616, or go to our website at www.nem csa.org and you can find the information there.
Kitty Glomski:So this is Kitty Glomski and Brooke Mainville asking you to join us again next time on Let's Talk About Aging.
Carla:Let's Talk About Aging is a production of the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging, 2569 US 23 South, Alpena, Michigan 4 9 7 0 7. This Podcast was supported, in part, by grant number 90MPPG0039 from the US Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. Podcast music provided by Groove Music, selection titled"Modern Logo," created by Vadym Kuznietsov and can be found at https://elements.envato.com/modern-logo-ZVHFBJ6