Grandparents Raising Grandchildren GRG

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren(GRG)
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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG)

• Georgia has a growing population of grandparents
  who are assuming the role of caretaker for their
  grandchildren.
• DFCS believes that when parents are unable to
  care for their children, it better for their
  children to live with suitable family members
  rather than be placed with strangers.

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG)

• Grandparents are often at a time in their lives
  when their incomes are no longer growing.
• When grandparents take on the unexpected
  responsibility of raising a child, this can
  trigger a personal financial crisis.

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG)

• To help grandparents who are raising their own
  grandchildren, DFCS, the Division of Aging
  Services (DAS), the Office of Child Support
  Services (OCSS), the Division of Mental Health
  (DMH) and the Division of Public Health (DPH) are
  collaborating and exploring ways to help
  strengthen families headed by grandparents.
• Several enhanced services will now be available
  to grandparents who are raising their
  grandchildren.

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DAS and the GRG

• Grandparents can call Local Area Agencies on
  Aging (AAAs) throughout the state to find out
  about services that are available through DAS and
  partner agencies.

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OCSS and GRG

• OCSS will give priority status to referrals for
  cases involving grandparents raising their
  grandchildren.
• For cases in which the absent parent is currently
  paying child support, OCSS will immediately
  redirect those payments to the grandparent.
• For cases in which neither absent parent is
  paying child support, OCSS will work closely with
  the grandparent in order to obtain an order of
  child support as soon as possible.

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DFCS and GRG

• As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain and
  strengthen families, DFCS will provide direct
  support needed by grandparents who are raising
  their grandchildren.
• This support will include both cash assistance
  payments, paid through the Office of Family
  Independence (OFI), and specialized child care
  services provided through the Childcare and
  Parents Services (CAPS) program.

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There will be multiple points of entry into a
seamless system of services we will provide to
grandparents raising their grandchildren.
Referral Agencies
Identification of Needs
OCSS Child Support Medical Support
Office of ChildSupport Services(OCSS)
DFCS TANF, FS, Child Care, Energy Assistance, etc.
Division of Family and Children Services(DFCS)
Division of Aging Services(DAS)
Division of Mental Health(DMH)
Division ofMental Health(DMH)
Division ofPublic Health(DPH)
Division ofPublic Health(DPH)
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GRG Cash Assistance Whos Eligible?

• To be eligible for GRG cash assistance, the
  following criteria must be met
• the grandparent is the caretaker of his/her own
  grandchild
• the grandparent is 60 years of age and older, or
• the grandparent is disabled,
• the household is not participating in an
  existing foster care program nor receiving
  foster care per diems,
• the households income is less than 160 of the
  federal poverty level (FPL), and
• the AU applies for and receives TANF for the
  grandchild.

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How is a household defined? Whose income is
counted?

• For the purpose of determining GRG eligibility, a
  household includes the grandparent, the
  grandparents spouse and the grandchild for whom
  assistance is requested.Only the income of
  household members counts toward the income limit
  when determining eligibility for GRG cash
  assistance payments.

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How can we know if a grandparent is disabled?

• If the grandparent receives either SSI or RSDI
  disability payments, we consider him to be
  disabled for GRG purposes.An award letter from
  the Social Security Administration is required
  for verification.

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What types of cash assistanceare available?

• Two types of GRG cash assistance are
  available
• GRG Emergency/Crisis Intervention
  Services Payment (CRISP), and
• GRG Monthly Subsidy Payment (MSP).

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What is the CRISP?

• The GRG Crisis Intervention Services Payment
  (CRISP) is a one-time only cash payment equal to
  up to 3 times the maximum TANF cash assistance
  grant amount for that AU size.The CRISP may be
  received more than once if a grandchild moves
  into the home of a grandparent who has previously
  received a CRISP for another grandchild, and if
  the AU is otherwise eligible for the CRISP.

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What is the CRISP? (cont.)

• The CRISP provides cash assistance to
  grandparents who need help in paying the cost of
  emergency expenses, such as unanticipated and
  sudden increases in
• shelter or utility costs, or
• new expenses incurred to pay for school
  supplies,
• furniture, etc.

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How do we define an emergency?

• For GRG purposes, we define an emergency as a
  situation believed to be an emergency by the
  grandparent applying for assistance.

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How can we know if an emergency exists?

• Accept your clients statement unless you have
  reason to question what your client claims. If
  questionable, use one of the following sources of
  verification1. lease agreement
• 2. utility bills/cut off notices
• 3. legal fees associated with the process of
  gaining custody of the grandchild.

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How do we verify the amount of an emergency
expense?
We can accept the clients statement about
whether an emergency exists, but we must verify
the actual cost of eliminating the identified
emergency. Verify with a receipt an expense
that the grandparent has already paid. Verify
an anticipated expense with a statement from a
retailer. Specify the item to be purchased and
the dollar amount.

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How do we compute the amount of a CRISP?

• The CRISP is paid in increments of the maximum
  TANF grant amount for one month, two months or
  three months, depending on what you have verified
  the dollar amount of the emergency expense to
  be.For example, if an AU is eligible for the
  CRISP, the emergency expense is 300, and the
  maximum TANF grant amount for the AU is 235, the
  AU will be eligible to receive a CRISP of 470.

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Can a grandparent apply for theCRISP at any time?

• The CRISP is intended to help alleviate a crisis
  or emergency, not to pay for a familys ongoing
  needs.
• A grandparent can apply for the CRISP at any time
  that an emergency occurs.

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For what should the CRISP be used?

• The CRISP is to help an eligible AU pay for
  expenses incurred as a direct result of a
  grandchild moving into the home.
• It is not our responsibility to monitor how the
  CRISP money is spent.

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For what should the CRISP be used? (cont.)

• Emergency needs may include
• a rent deposit because the grandparent must
  move into a larger apartment
• a utilities deposit because of the need to move
  into a larger apartment
• a one-time rent and/or utility assistance for a
  family at immediate risk of eviction or shut off
  of utilities
• incurring other unanticipated expenses, such as
  the purchase of furniture or school supplies.

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Paying the CRISP should be the last, not the
first option.

• If an AU meets the eligibility criteria for
  receipt of the CRISP, but its emergency can be
  resolved using assistance from other sources, the
  grandparent should seek assistance from those
  other sources.
• Only when there has been an attempt to access all
  other potential sources of assistance can the
  CRISP be approved.

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What is the MSP?

• The GRG Monthly Subsidy Payment (MSP) is an
  ongoing cash payment of 50.00 per child, per
  month. Eligibility for the MSP does not require
  that an emergency expense has been incurred.
• However, in order to receive the MSP, the
  grandparent must receive TANF cash assistance for
  her grandchild.

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Authorizing an MSP

• MSPs are issued on the clients EBT card.
• To process an MSP, update the MISC and STAT
  screens on SUCCESS.
• In the MISC screen, enter Y in the Grdch Ind
  field.
• In the STAT screen, code the grandchilds REL
  Code GC.

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• CAFI SCREEN (BEFORE APPROVING AN MSP)
• INQUIRY CASH/MA FINANCIAL
  ELIGIBILITY - CAFI CAFI
• Month 02 06 AD74 01 21 05
• AU ID 204491110 Prog AF Prog Type R
  Med COA
• 
  Net Income Test (cont)
• Resources
  Standard - 30 1/3
  .00
• Resource Limit 1000.00
  Dependent Care .00
• Total Resources .00
  Net Earned Income .00
• Gross Income Test
  Net Unearned Income .00
• Gross Income Limit 658.60
  Deemed Income .00
• Gross Earned Income .00
  Allocated Income .00
• Net Unearned Income .00
  Net Income .00
• Deemed Income .00
  Grant Amount 235.00
• Allocated Income .00
  Recoupment Amount .00
• Total Gross Income .00
  Benefit Amount 235.00
• Net Income Test
  Previous Benefit
  .00
• Net Income Limit 356.00
  Spenddown Amount
• Gross Earned Income .00
  Medical Expense Amt

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• CAFI SCREEN (AFTER APPROVING AN MSP)
• INQUIRY CASH/MA FINANCIAL
  ELIGIBILITY - CAFI CAFI
• Month 02 06 AD74 01 21 05
• AU ID 204491110 Prog AF Prog Type R
  Med COA
• 
  Net Income Test (cont)
• Resources
  Standard - 30 1/3
  .00
• Resource Limit 1000.00
  Dependent Care .00
• Total Resources .00
  Net Earned Income .00
• Gross Income Test
  Net Unearned Income .00
• Gross Income Limit 658.60
  Deemed Income .00
• Gross Earned Income .00
  Allocated Income .00
• Net Unearned Income .00
  Net Income .00
• Deemed Income .00
  Grant Amount 335.00
• Allocated Income .00
  Recoupment Amount .00
• Total Gross Income .00
  Benefit Amount 335.00
• Net Income Test
  Previous Benefit
  .00
• Net Income Limit 356.00
  Spenddown Amount
• Gross Earned Income .00
  Medical Expense Amt

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• BENL SCREEN
• INQUIRY BENEFIT HISTORY ISSUANCE
  LISTING - BENL BENL
• 
  
  01
• MORE
• AU ID 203381210 HOH Last Name PETERSON
  First Name CAROL
• 
  ---------- DETAIL ------------
• Issn Issn Issn Status
  Tot-Issn Benefit Recoup Issn Issn
• Sel Date Number Sts Date Amount
  Month Amount Amount Type
• 02 01 05 004235306 CD 02 01 05 335.00
  02 05 335.00 O
• 01 01 05 004192138 CD 01 01 05 235.00
  01 05 235.00 O
• 12 01 04 004145452 CD 12 01 04 235.00
  12 04 235.00 O
• 11 01 04 004091375 CD 11 01 04 235.00
  11 04 235.00 O
• 10 01 04 004041614 CD 10 01 04 235.00
  10 04 235.00 O
• 09 01 04 003990184 CD 09 01 04 235.00
  09 04 235.00 O
• 08 01 04 003937640 CD 08 01 04 235.00
  08 04 235.00 O
• 07 01 04 003884651 CD 07 01 04 235.00
  07 04 235.00 O
• 06 01 04 003831639 CD 06 01 04 235.00
  06 04 235.00 O
• Message

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• BEND SCREEN
• INQUIRY BENEFIT HISTORY ISSUANCE
  DETAIL - BEND BEND
• AU ID 203381210 HOH Last Name PETERSON
  First Name CAROL
• Issn Number 004235306 Issn Date 02 01 05
• Serial Number Expn Date
  05 02 05
• Issn Amount 335.00 Print Date 02
  01 05 Serv Cnty 0060 FULTON
• GRG MSP Grant 100.00
• EBT Account PAN Account
• Curr Status CD CASHED Sts Dt 02 01 05
  Xref Repl Issn Num
• Prev Status Sts Dt
  Repl Worker ID
• Puller Code Puller Remarks
• Altered Issn Amt Altered
  Issn Amt Reason
• Altered Expn Date Altered Expn
  Date Reason
• Message GRG MSP Amount is included within the
  Issn Amount

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Requirements for receipt of the MSP

• In order to qualify for a GRG MSP, a grandparent
  must meet the basic GRG eligibility criteria.
• Also, the grandparent must receive TANF cash
  assistance for the grandchild for whom the GRG
  MSP is requested.
• The grandparent cannot be included in the TANF AU.

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Can an AU receive the CRISP and the MSP?

• If an AU is eligible for both forms of GRG cash
  assistance, it can receive them simultaneously.
• The CRISP is intended to resolve an emergency and
  is a one-time-only payment.
• The MSP is paid on an ongoing basis.

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What if the grandchild moves out?

• If the grandchild leaves the custody of the
  grandparent who is receiving GRG cash payments,
  the grandparent must notify DFCS within 10 days.
• A failure to report within 10 days may result in
  an overpayment.

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GRG Relationship Requirements

• A child must be living in the home with a
  grandparent who receives the GRG cash assistance
  on the childs behalf.
• Relationship is established by one of the
  following1. birth
• 2. ceremonial or common-law marriage
• 3. legal adoption, or
• 4. legal guardianship.

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GRG Relationship Requirements (cont.)

• The following relationships also meet the
  relationship requirement
• grandparent (up to great-great-great)
• spouse of a grandparent even if the
  marriage was terminated by death or divorce,
  unless the grandchild was born after the
  termination of the marriage.

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GRG Relationship Requirements (cont.)

• The relationship of the child to the grandparent
  is traced by recording the names and
  relationships of all direct and intermediate
  relatives.
• Establish paternity when the application is made
  by the paternal grandparent.
• Follow TANF policy for establishing paternity.

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Verifying Relationship
Verification of relationship may not be available
if the child lives with the parent of the
putative father and the father's whereabouts are
unknown. Make a decision using all available
information regarding the child's relationship to
the grandparent who applies for assistance.
Document the case record thoroughly.
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How is GRG cash assistancecounted in a TANF
budget?

• GRG cash assistance is excluded incomein a TANF
  budget.
• GRG cash assistance is paid to an eligible AU in
  addition to, not instead of, any TANF cash
  assistance for which the AU may be eligible.

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How is GRG cash assistance counted in a Medicaid
budget?

• GRG cash assistance, whether it is a CRISP or an
  MSP, is disregarded in Medicaid budgets.

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How is GRG cash assistancecounted in a FS budget?

• The GRG CRISP is treated as a resource in a FS
  case. The resources of a TANF AU are disregarded
  for FS purposes.
• The GRG MSP is counted as unearned income in the
  FS budget.

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GRG forms

• Form 281 (payment authorization form)Form 282
  (disposition notification form)Form 351 (GRG
  worksheet)

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Policy References

• For additional information and the latest policy
  updates, reference Section 1210 in the online
  TANF manual at
• http//www.odis.dhr.state.ga.us