Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Colorado

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Colorado | InmateAid

In September 2024, Colorado signed the Kinship Foster Care Homes law -- a new state law specifically designed to improve support for kinship caregivers. It does two things: it provides financial assistance to non-certified kinship caregivers in child welfare cases for immediate needs like beds, clothing, transportation, and some rental or housing assistance, and it creates a separate certification track for kinship caregivers to reduce barriers and speed up the licensing process.

This is recent and relevant. If you are in a child welfare case and have not been told about this law, ask.

Colorado also has a specific concern you should know about: in 2025, the federal Administration for Children and Families (ACF) initiated a review of Colorado's TANF program -- called Colorado Works -- and paused federal TANF funding to the state. As of CDHS's most recent guidance, there is no change to your eligibility or current benefit amounts. You do not need to do anything right now. But CDHS has advised caregivers to budget January benefits carefully in case of future disruption. Stay tuned to cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship for updates.

You did not plan for this. You raised your children. You got to the other side of it. And then your child was incarcerated and the grandchildren needed somewhere to go. You said yes.

This article covers what Colorado offers you -- the programs, the legal pathways, the specific names that matter at a Colorado county human services office.

The Decision You Already Made

You already made the hardest decision. The grandchildren are with you. Everything else in this article is about making that workable.

A few things to understand about your position in Colorado right now:

If you are caring for grandchildren without a formal legal arrangement, you are an informal caregiver. In Colorado, informal caregivers have limited legal authority -- enrolling children in school, authorizing medical care, and accessing most financial assistance programs are harder without documentation.

If CDHS placed the grandchildren with you, you are in the kinship foster care system. Whether you are certified or non-certified affects your payments and process.

If you arranged care directly with the parent without CDHS involvement, you have more flexibility -- but you have to establish legal authority yourself.

Colorado's programs are administered by county departments of human/social services. The state sets the framework; your county implements it.

Legal Authority: What It Is and How to Get It in Colorado

**Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (APR)**

Colorado does not use the terms "legal custody" or "visitation" in family law. The state uses Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (APR). If you want formal authority to make decisions for the grandchildren -- school enrollment, medical care, travel -- you petition for APR through your county district court.

A parent's incarceration is documented grounds for a court to find the parent unable to exercise parental responsibilities and grant you APR. You do not need CDHS involvement to petition for APR.

Colorado Legal Services operates throughout the state and provides free legal help for low-income Coloradans in APR, guardianship, power of attorney, and adoption cases. Contact your county's legal aid office or call Colorado Legal Services at 303-837-1313 or visit colohelp.org for county-by-county legal resources.

**Guardianship**

Guardianship is a separate legal relationship established by a probate court. Colorado Legal Services and local bar association programs can assist with guardianship petitions. Some counties -- including Boulder, Douglas, Weld, Denver Metro, Larimer, and El Paso -- have legal aid resources specifically for older adult caregivers.

**Power of Attorney**

A Power of Attorney (POA) signed by the incarcerated parent can give you immediate authority to enroll children in school, authorize medical care, and make day-to-day decisions. It is not as comprehensive as APR or guardianship and can be revoked by the parent, but it is the fastest way to establish authorization while you work through the court process.

An incarcerated parent in a CDOC (Colorado Department of Corrections) facility can sign a notarized POA. CDOC facilities have notary services -- coordinate through the facility case manager.

**Subsidized Guardianship**

Colorado has an approved Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program -- a subsidized guardianship program for children who came through the foster care system. If the children were in CDHS foster care and guardianship is the appropriate permanency plan, a subsidized guardianship payment may be available. Ask your CDHS caseworker about this option.

Money: What Colorado Offers Kinship Caregivers

**Colorado Works Child-Only Grant -- $151 per Month**

Colorado Works is Colorado's name for the federal TANF program. When child welfare is not involved and you are not applying for yourself, you may apply for a child-only grant. The child-only grant in Colorado is currently $151 per month.

That number is specific and modest. It reflects what advocates have described as a major gap: "Once the child welfare is out of the system, the only thing they can do in Colorado is apply for child-only TANF, which is $151 a month." It is not enough. But it is available, it does not count your income, and the children who receive it become eligible for Medicaid (Health First Colorado).

Note: If you are also applying because you need aid, you can apply as a household -- but then your income counts and work requirements may apply.

Apply at your county department of human/social services or online at peak.colorado.gov.

**Important 2025 TANF Update**

ACF has paused federal TANF/SSBG funding to Colorado pending a program review. As of CDHS's most recent guidance, your current eligibility and benefit amounts are unchanged. No action is required now. But if you are newly applying, confirm the current status with your county human services office or at cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship.

**Kinship Foster Care Homes Law (2024) -- Financial Assistance for Non-Certified Caregivers**

If CDHS is involved in the case and you are an uncertified kinship caregiver, the 2024 Kinship Foster Care Homes law entitles you to financial assistance for basic care needs: beds, clothing, transportation costs, and some rental or housing assistance. This is immediate-onset assistance -- it is not dependent on completing certification.

If you are in a CDHS-involved case and no one has told you about this financial assistance, ask the CDHS caseworker directly: "Am I entitled to financial assistance under the 2024 Kinship Foster Care Homes law?"

**Kinship Foster Care Payments**

If you are becoming certified as a kinship foster caregiver through CDHS, you receive foster care maintenance payments -- higher than the child-only TANF grant and based on the child's age and needs. The 2024 law creates a separate certification track to make this process faster and less burdensome for kinship families.

**Health First Colorado (Medicaid)**

Children in kinship care are generally eligible for Health First Colorado, Colorado's Medicaid program. It covers doctor visits, dental care, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision. Apply at peak.colorado.gov or at your county human services office.

Get the grandchildren enrolled in Health First Colorado as quickly as possible. Medical coverage is one of the most urgent needs when children arrive.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

Apply for SNAP through your county human services office or at peak.colorado.gov. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit level.

**LEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program)**

Colorado's LEAP program through CDHS provides utility assistance to low-income households. Contact your county department of human/social services for LEAP information in your area.

**Child Support -- Until Age 19**

Colorado child support for a minor child continues until the child reaches age 19 -- one year longer than most states. If you apply for TANF and/or Medicaid for the grandchildren, child support proceedings are automatically initiated against both parents. The application fee for child support services is waived for grandparents receiving TANF and/or Medicaid.

If you are caring for grandchildren under a power of attorney, guardianship, or conservatorship without TANF or Medicaid, a separate child support action must be started. Contact the Child Support Enforcement Unit in your county.

If you adopt the grandchildren, all rights to child support from the birth parents end. No child support after adoption.

**Social Security**

If the incarcerated parent was working before arrest, the grandchildren may be eligible for Social Security dependent benefits. Call 1-800-772-1213. SSI may be available for grandchildren with disabilities.

Colorado Kinship Connection and County Resources

**Colorado Kinship Connection**

cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship

CDHS's dedicated website for kinship caregivers. The primary statewide resource for information on benefits, certification, legal options, and county contacts. Start here.

**County Kinship Navigators**

Many Colorado counties have Kinship Navigators or Kinship Support Staff who help connect caregivers to community resources. Availability varies by county. Check cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship or contact your county human services department to ask whether your county has a Kinship Navigator.

**CSU Extension Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program**

chhs.colostate.edu/grg

Colorado State University Extension operates a dedicated Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program with extensive resources, FAQs, county resource lists, child support guidance, and legal information. Maintained by Dr. Christine Fruhauf; 970-491-1118. One of the most comprehensive state-specific resource collections in Colorado.

**Colorado Legal Services**

303-837-1313 | colohelp.org

Free legal help statewide for low-income Coloradans. Handles APR, guardianship, power of attorney, and adoption for kinship caregivers.

**PEAK**

peak.colorado.gov

Colorado's online portal for applying for Colorado Works (TANF), Health First Colorado (Medicaid), SNAP, and other benefits.

**Weld County Kinship Program**

Support groups, legal referral, educational workshops for grandparents 55 and older in Weld County. Available through Weld County Human Services.

The School Question

With a POA, APR order, or guardianship document, school enrollment is straightforward.

Without legal authority, use the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Schools must immediately enroll children who lack stable housing documentation, including children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. Ask for the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison if the school creates barriers.

For children with IEPs or 504 plans, you need legal authority or a signed parental authorization from the incarcerated parent to participate in planning meetings. CDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

Without legal authority, routine medical care may be refused in non-emergency situations. Emergency care cannot be denied.

The fastest fix: a notarized Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent granting you medical decision-making authority. CDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager. This solves the immediate problem while you work through the court process for APR or guardianship.

Enroll the grandchildren in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) at peak.colorado.gov. Medicaid enrollment does not require legal authority -- it requires proof of identity and Colorado residency.

What She Is Carrying That He Cannot See

You did not plan for this stage of your life. The grandchildren arrived and with them came everything a parent does: lunches, homework, school pickups, sick days, appointments, a child who wakes up afraid in the night.

You are also carrying complicated feelings about your child who is incarcerated. Those feelings do not need to resolve. You can love your child and be angry. You can hope and fear the same outcome.

What the grandchildren need: a stable adult in the house who is not pretending the situation is something it is not.

Colorado has county kinship support groups and the CSU Extension program at chhs.colostate.edu/grg connects grandparents across the state. Weld County has a formal grandparent support program. Other counties have their own. Ask your county human services department whether there is a kinship support group near you.

You are allowed to need support. Getting it is not a weakness. It is how you stay capable of doing this.

Talking to the Grandchildren About Where Their Parent Is

The children know something is wrong. Silence does not protect them -- it leaves them to fill the silence with imagination, which is usually worse than the truth.

Use honest, age-appropriate language. For a young child: "Your dad made a mistake and he has to stay somewhere else while he learns from it. You are safe and I am here." For an older child: "Your mom is in prison. She did something against the law and a judge decided she needs to be there for a while. She loves you. She is not in danger."

Do not make promises about when the parent will be home that you cannot keep. Let the children have feelings without rushing to fix them. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways -- a photo, letters, phone calls.

CDOC phone calls are made through ICS Corrections. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs -- not yours to manage based on your feelings about what your child did.

Health First Colorado covers mental health services for children. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor for a referral or the child's primary care provider.

Your Relationship With Your Incarcerated Child

Your feelings about your child are complicated and they do not have to resolve. You can love your child and be angry. You can hope they get out and be afraid of what that means.

What the grandchildren need: to see that you are not punishing their parent through them.

What you need: a place to hold the complicated feelings that is not in front of the children. County kinship support groups, the CSU Extension program, a trusted person, a therapist -- any of these is better than carrying it alone through a Colorado winter.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Start at Colorado Kinship Connection. cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship. The primary state resource for all kinship caregivers.

Check whether your county has a Kinship Navigator. Call your county human services department and ask. If you have one, that person is your guide.

Establish legal authority. If CDHS is involved, ask about the 2024 Kinship Foster Care Homes law financial assistance and the kinship certification track. If CDHS is not involved, contact Colorado Legal Services (303-837-1313) for APR or guardianship help. Get a notarized POA from the incarcerated parent through CDOC notary services immediately.

Apply for Colorado Works child-only grant. $151 per month. Peak.colorado.gov or your county human services office. Ask for the child-only option.

Apply for Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and SNAP at the same time. peak.colorado.gov.

Apply for LEAP if utility costs are a concern. Your county human services office.

Apply for child support if you have legal authority or TANF. County Child Support Enforcement Unit. Fee waived if receiving TANF or Medicaid.

Enroll the grandchildren in school. Use McKinney-Vento if needed.

Contact CSU Extension Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. chhs.colostate.edu/grg. Extensive Colorado-specific resources.

Take care of yourself. Find a support group. You are not doing this alone.

FAQ

**What is Colorado Works and what is the child-only grant?** Colorado Works is Colorado's name for the TANF federal assistance program. The child-only grant provides $151 per month for grandchildren when child welfare is not involved. Only the children's income is counted -- not yours. Apply at peak.colorado.gov or your county human services office. Note: ACF has paused federal TANF funding to Colorado pending a program review; CDHS says current eligibility and amounts are unchanged, but monitor cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship for updates.

**What is the 2024 Kinship Foster Care Homes law?** A Colorado law signed in September 2024 that provides financial assistance (beds, clothing, transportation, some housing assistance) to non-certified kinship caregivers in child welfare cases, and creates a separate faster certification track for kinship foster parents. If you are in a CDHS-involved case and have not been informed of this, ask your CDHS caseworker directly.

**What is Allocation of Parental Responsibilities (APR)?** APR is Colorado's term for what other states call legal custody. It is the legal action grandparents pursue through district court to get formal authority to make decisions for the grandchildren -- school enrollment, medical care, travel. Colorado Legal Services can help; 303-837-1313 or colohelp.org.

**What legal options do I have for immediate authorization before court?** Get a notarized Power of Attorney signed by the incarcerated parent through CDOC notary services. Contact the CDOC facility case manager to arrange. This gives you immediate authority for school and medical decisions while you work through the court process for APR or guardianship.

**How long does child support continue in Colorado?** Until the child reaches age 19 -- one year longer than most states. If you apply for TANF or Medicaid for the grandchildren, child support proceedings are automatic. The application fee is waived for grandparents receiving TANF or Medicaid.

**Does Colorado have a Kinship Navigator?** Many counties do. Contact your county department of human/social services to ask whether your county has a Kinship Navigator or Kinship Support Staff. Also check cdhs.colorado.gov/kinship for county contacts.

**How do I talk to the grandchildren about their parent being in prison?** Use honest, age-appropriate language without promises about when the parent will be home. Let the children have feelings without rushing to fix them. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways. CDOC phone calls go through ICS Corrections. Health First Colorado covers children's mental health services -- ask the school counselor or primary care provider for a referral if needed.