Opioid crisis turns grandparents into parents, yet again

(Harrisburg) — Debbie Friday’s daughter is in Indiana County jail, waiting for a sentence after violating probation for crimes related to her heroin addiction.

Friday – who works full-time as a nurse – has been left to take care of her four grandchildren.

It’s just another example of the ripple effects of the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania.

Grandparents have had to raise their grandchildren in some cases.

Friday does all of this with little to no help from the commonwealth.

She says it’s stressful financially, mentally, and emotionally.

“There is nothing. Even back whenever they placed those kids with us back in 2008, we still wasn’t entitled to kinship payment, because there was no official placement at that time, it was just a temporary type thing,” she says.

She just wants Pennsylvania to match what several neighboring states provide: navigators to help sort through all the custody paperwork, and financial assistance.

“I’m not looking for handouts. We make ends meet and we’ll do what we need to make ends meet but it is a struggle and I’m sure there’s lot of families [going through this]. We’re both working, but people on Social Security, I don’t know how they make ends meet to take care of their grandkids,” she adds.

Friday spoke at a hearing at the state Capitol, saying she wishes she could spend more time with her grandchildren, but needs to work full-time.

Ohio, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland all offer more robust programs for grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren, with navigators who help grandparents with custody issues, government assistance and health insurance.