Strengthening & Preserving Family Ties

(Project’s Goal: Accuracy, Clarity, and Consistency)

The Maryland Department of Human Resources, in its commitment to vulnerable children and adults recognizes that children belong with families, especially their family of origin when possible.

Nationally, Kinship Care is one of the fastest growing populations. The U.S. Census report reveals 4.5 million children live in households headed by grandparents and an additional 1.5 million live in households headed by other relatives. Research reveals that Kinship caregivers are families whose head of household may be a grandparent, an aunt, uncle, or adult sibling who might unexpectedly find themselves with the day to day physical responsibility for a child (ren) who is not their birth child. Many of these relative head of household are on a fixed income. Others are fully employed, but are now challenged with stretching their limited resources. Sadly, the parents of these children are struggling with substance abuse, mental illness, incarceration or an unwillingness to parent their child(ren). Some of the parents are deceased. Most relative caregivers feel a moral responsibility to accept the child(ren) into their homes instead of allowing the child(ren) to be placed in out of home care (foster care).

What is Kinship Care?

In Maryland, Kinship Care is designed to preserve family ties by assisting when possible with the needs of children, the biological parents and the relative providing 24 hour care, 7 days per week to the child. There are two categories of Kinship Care: Formal and Informal. In the case of Formal Kinship Care, the child has come to the attention of the State and is now in the custody of the State but is placed with a relative. In Informal Kinship Care, the child’s parent(s) voluntarily placed the child in the care of a relative by blood or marriage. Legal custody is not required.

Do I Qualify as a Kinship Caregiver?

A Kinship Caregiver is related by blood or marriage within five degrees of consanguinity or affinity to a child who is in your physical care.

What Benefits are Available?

• As a Maryland resident and relative caregiver you can apply on behalf of the child for cash assistance referred to as a “child only” grant. This grant is based on the child’s resources only.
• Click on Kinship Care Fact Sheet pdf for additional information.

The Child May Be Eligible for the Following Benefits:

• Temporary Cash Assistance “Child Only Grant”
• Child Support
• Medicaid
• Food Stamps
• Child Care
• Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP)
• Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP)

Application Options Include:

• Submit an application on-line at www.marylandsail.org.
• Call or write your local department of social services and request an application
• Go in person to your local department of social services for an application; you may complete the application while there, however there might be a wait before you are interviewed.
• As part of the interview process, the interviewer MUST complete a child support order.

Other Benefits:

• Consent for Healthcare Affidavit - Available to relative caregiver who does not have legal custody or guardianship of the relative child in their care. The caregiver must be able to verify relationship to the child and that the child’s parent(s) is not available. To receive this form, contact your local health department.
• Education Affidavit - Provides relative caregivers assistance in enrolling the child in school and allows the relative caregiver to be an advocate for the child in school matters when the parent(s) is not available. To receive this form, contact the child’s school

Related Benefits:

• To Apply for Social Security Survivor’s Benefits or Supplemental Security Income – www.socialsecurity.gov.

List of Kinship Care Support Groups:

• Just For Us Support Group, Baltimore City
  Donnie Green: 410-542-3377
  
• Grandparent Family Connections
  Frederick H. Streider: 410-706-8716
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Maryland
  Natalie Meade: 410-243-4000 x224
• Grandparents & Other Relative Caregivers
  Annette Saunders: 410-225-2600 x111
• Grandparents as Parents of Howard County (GAP)
  Duane St. Clair: 410-381-4800
  
• Grandparents Supporting Grandparents, Baltimore County
  Ann Abramson: 410-853-3888
• Progressive Life Center Kinship Care Program, Prince George’s County
  Evette Clark: 301-773-1701
  
• Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP), Eastern Shore
  Helen Johnson: 410-742-0505 x105
  
• Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP), Somerset County
  Sister Diane Moore: 410-651-9608

Links to Other Community Websites Providing Services for Relative Caregivers:

• KINSHIP CARE RESOURCE CENTER
  Location To Be Determined
• GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER RELATIVE CAREGIVERS
  Baltimore
  asaunders@lighthealth.org
• RELATIVES AS PARENTS PROGRAM
  Eastern Shore
  www.macinc.org
• MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
  www.msde.state.md.us
• MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGING
  www.mdoa.state.md.us
• MARYLAND GOVERNOR’S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN
  www.goc.state.md.us

Links to National Organizations Advocating for Relative Caregivers:

• AARP.ORG
  www.aarp.org/quicklink
• The BROOKDALE FOUNDATION GROUP
  www.brookdalefoundation.org
• CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND
  www.childrensdefense.org
• CHILD FOCUS
  www.child-focus.org
• GENERATIONS UNITED
  www.gu.org
• GRANDFAMILIESOFAMERICA
  www.grandfamiliesofamerica.org
• GRANDFAMILIES STATE LAW & POLICY RESOURCE CENTER
  www.grandfamilies.org

If you have a specific question please type it here. Someone will contact you within 48 hours.
 

Contact for Additional Information:

Sean Bloodsworth, Kinship Care Coordinator
Maryland Department of Human Resources/Social Services Administration
311 W. Saratoga Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
E-mail: sean.bloodsworth@maryland.gov
Telephone: 410-767-7912