A word from DHR Commissioner B.J. Walker

I want to say first and foremost that I appreciate the difficult life choice each of you made to take the responsibility of raising your own grandchildren.  I am a grandparent myself and I know it is not easy for you, at times, to keep a roof over your heads, food on the table, and clothes and school supplies for your grandchildren.

Georgia has over 92,000 grandparents raising their grandchildren.  These grandparents are entering a time in their lives in which their income becomes less flexible and maybe insufficient to support the needs of their grandchildren. 

At DHR, we know how important family ties are to children.  Therefore, I have asked the Directors of five DHR Offices (Aging, DFCS, MHDDAD, Child Support and Public Health) to put their minds together and think of additional ways that we can help you in your noble effort to raise your grandchildren.  As a result, my staff met with advocates for grandparents raising grandchildren to develop a menu of ways we can help – which you will find on this website.

I am proud to announce that we are building a Single System of Care.  What does that mean?  Whether you walk in to a Public Health County Office or a Child Support Office, staff will listen to you and figure out where you can find help.  Once we know what you need, we will contact that office and make sure that you are seen for services.

We already offer a number of services for grandparents raising grandchildren.  But now we have some additional services:

  • Emergency/Crisis Intervention Services may be used to help pay for the cost of emergency needs such as rent, utilities, moving expenses, school expenses, furniture, etc. Grandparent must be 60 years of age or older or disabled and make no more than 160% of the poverty level. (Example: Family of 4 can make no more than $2,668.00 per month)

  • Monthly Subsidy Payments of $50 per grandchild per month may be added to the monthly cash assistance check through the TANF program. Grandparent must be 60 years of age or older or disabled and make no more than 160% of the poverty level.

  • Childcare program for Grandparent must be 60 years of age or older or disabled and make no more than 160% of the poverty level will prioritize services for this population with grandchildren under five years old. 

  • Child Support will be quickly redirected to grandparents with custody of their grandchildren.  If a Child Support case has not been created, staff will help the grandparent in getting these monies.

  • One-on-One Foster Care Training (IMPACT) will be given to those grandparents who are not able to go to the regular foster care Group training classes or if their grandchild is in DFCS custody in order to receive 100% of foster care payment.

I hope this website helps you find what you need to help raise your grandchildren. 

Sincerely,
B.J. Walker, Commissioner