In Pennsylvania and across the United States, drug addiction and abuse continue to plague many families. The impacts of this epidemic seem to have no end and among them include the need for children to be cared for by someone other than their own parents. In some situations, it is a grandparent who steps up to the plate to take care of a granddaughter or grandson when their own adult son or daughter is not able to do so.
As reported last autumn by the Pittsburg Post-Gazette, a bill was passed in the state legislature that is designed to provide some assistance to families in which grandparents have had to take over parenting. Opioid addiction is one of the factors identified as a reason for this in many of the cases. The effort is intended to facilitate access to financial resources.
Obtaining a legal guardianship may not always be an easy thing but can be necessary. For example, one grandparent was noted as saying her grandson was in need of some medical treatment but the signature of a legal guardian was required before it could be performed. This is just one benefit of receiving a formal, legal guardianship. Making financial and educational decisions for children may also require legal guardianship.
If you would like to learn more about the situations that may warrant a legal guardianship of a child or another adult, please feel free to visit the family members caring for family members page of our Pennsylvania guardianship website.