Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Kentucky

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Internal links (5): Kentucky inmate search, send money, Kentucky reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub

Voice: Plain, honest, practical. No false comfort. No condescension. She made a choice. Honor it and give her what she needs.

META BLOCK:

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Kentucky | InmateAid

Kentucky has diverted more than 10,000 children from the foster care system through kinship placements -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends who stepped in when a parent could not. The opioid epidemic and fentanyl have been the primary driver in Kentucky, particularly in eastern Appalachian counties where entire communities have been hollowed out by addiction. The Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky, which advocates for grandparents across the state, describes grandparents in their 60s, 70s, and 80s draining their nest eggs and going bankrupt trying to keep grandchildren out of foster care.

Kentucky has heard them. In 2024, the state legislature passed significant updates for kinship families, including a new Subsidized Permanent Custody option with monthly stipends similar to foster care, a one-time Relative Placement Support Benefit for new placements, and updates to the KTAP program (Kentucky's TANF) to increase benefit amounts that had not been updated since the late 1990s.

Kentucky also has a Kentucky Family Caregiver Program specifically for grandparents raising grandchildren -- a program distinct from the foster care kinship care system, providing financial assistance and supportive services for grandparents who are not in the DCBS (Department for Community Based Services) foster care system.

And Kentucky's schools have FRYSCs -- Family Resource and Youth Services Centers -- that provide support at the school building level and many of which sponsor kinship support groups specifically for grandparent caregivers.

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 Kentucky offers you and what to do first.

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 Kentucky right now:

If you are caring for grandchildren without DCBS involvement, the Kentucky Family Caregiver Program and the KTAP child-only grant are your primary financial resources. The Kentucky Kinship Navigator at kyfaces.ky.gov is the state's one-stop portal for resources.

If DCBS placed the grandchildren with you, ask your DCBS worker specifically about the Kinship Care payments, the Relative Placement Support Benefit (one-time), and the new Subsidized Permanent Custody option if permanent placement is the plan.

The primary kinship support hotline is **(877) 565-5608** or relative.supports@ky.gov. This is the number to call when you do not know where to start.

The Opioid and Fentanyl Reality in Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky has been among the hardest-hit regions in the United States. Counties like Harlan, Letcher, Knott, Pike, Floyd, and Magoffin have overdose rates that track among the highest in the country. The addiction that brought the parent into the criminal justice system may not be something that resolves during the sentence. The treatment available during incarceration matters. Whether the parent engages with it matters. She will be watching for evidence of that -- not from what her child says, but from what they do.

For grandparents in eastern Kentucky specifically: the resources in rural Appalachian counties can be thin. Community Action Kentucky has outreach in all 120 Kentucky counties and is often the most accessible first contact in rural areas.

For grandparents elsewhere in the state: Louisville, Lexington, Northern Kentucky (greater Cincinnati area), and the mid-size cities have more concentrated services. The distance to an AAA (Area Agency on Aging) office or DCBS office varies by county.

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

**Custody / Guardianship**

Kentucky family courts handle custody and guardianship proceedings. A parent's incarceration is documented grounds for demonstrating inability to care for a child and obtaining a custody or guardianship order.

With legal custody, you have authority to enroll children in school, authorize medical care, apply for benefits, and make day-to-day decisions.

Legal Aid of the Bluegrass covers northern, central, and northeastern Kentucky counties. Legal Aid Society covers income-eligible Kentuckians statewide (125-200% FPL). Contact your local legal aid organization.

**Power of Attorney**

A notarized parental Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent gives you immediate authority for school enrollment and medical care while you pursue custody through the court. KDOC (Kentucky Department of Corrections) facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

**Subsidized Permanent Custody (SPC) -- New in 2024**

The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly created the Subsidized Permanent Custody option for relative and fictive kin caregivers whose children are in DCBS care. SPC provides monthly stipends similar to foster care when the caregiver takes permanent custody of the child. This is a significant financial improvement over previous options for non-adoptive permanency in Kentucky. Ask your DCBS worker about SPC if the children are in DCBS care and permanent placement is being planned.

**Adoption**

Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. Consider carefully when the incarcerated parent has a realistic path to release and reunification.

Money: What Kentucky Offers Kinship Caregivers

**Kentucky Family Caregiver Program (KFCP)**

The KFCP is the most significant state-specific financial program for Kentucky grandparents not in the DCBS foster care system. Key features:

- Financial assistance for: clothing, school supplies, cribs, respite, and **legal fees associated with gaining custody or guardianship**

- Supportive services: support group connections, information and referral, counseling, training, assistance in accessing services

- **Income limit: 150% of the federal poverty level** -- tighter than most other programs; verify current income limits with your local Area Agency on Aging

- Must be the primary caregiver; related by blood, marriage, or adoption; child not older than 18; child must live with you; parent may not reside in your household

- **"Double-dip" rule**: Cannot receive KFCP benefits AND state Kinship Care (DCBS) payments simultaneously. If you are receiving DCBS Kinship Care payments, KFCP is not available to you.

Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center. The program is administered through the Department for Aging Services (DAS) in partnership with DCBS. A 12-month consent period for information sharing is required at application.

**KTAP Child-Only Grant (Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program)**

KTAP is Kentucky's name for TANF. It provides financial assistance to needy dependent children and the relatives with whom they are living.

For child-only grants, the grandparent's income is generally not counted -- only the child's. The grandparent/relative is required to cooperate with Child Support Enforcement activities (child support from the incarcerated parent will be pursued).

KTAP benefit amounts were updated in 2023 to increase from amounts that had not changed since the late 1990s. Apply through DCBS. Contact Family Support at (855) 306-8959. Apply for Medicaid (KCHIP) at the same time at kyhbe.ky.gov.

**Relative Placement Support Benefit (RPSB)**

A one-time payment available through DCBS for new relative caregiver placements. This is the bridge payment when children first arrive. Ask your DCBS worker specifically about RPSB when a child is placed with you.

**KCHIP and Kentucky Medicaid**

KCHIP is Kentucky's Children's Health Insurance Program. Children in kinship care are generally eligible for KCHIP or Medicaid based on income. Apply at kyhbe.ky.gov or call (855) 306-8959. Medicaid/KCHIP covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.

Get the grandchildren enrolled in KCHIP or Medicaid as quickly as possible.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

Apply through DCBS. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit level.

**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.

Kentucky's School-Based Resource: FRYSCs

Kentucky has something most other states in this series do not have at the school level: FRYSCs -- Family Resource and Youth Services Centers. These are school-based centers operating in many Kentucky public schools, specifically designed to remove non-academic barriers to education.

What FRYSCs can provide:

- Clothing, food, and other household goods

- Referrals to community resources

- School supply assistance

- Many FRYSCs sponsor kinship support groups specifically for grandparent caregivers

If the grandchildren's school has a FRYSC, contact the FRYSC coordinator. This is a resource available right at the school building level -- no waiting for an appointment at a county office. Ask the school's main office whether a FRYSC operates there.

The Kentucky Kinship Portal and KY-KINS

**Kentucky Kinship Navigator Web Portal**

kyfaces.ky.gov

Click the "Kinship" tab, then "How We Support You." The state's one-stop portal for kinship programs and resources. Includes program descriptions, eligibility summaries, and contact information for every major kinship support available in Kentucky.

**KY-KINS (Kentucky Kinship Information, Navigation and Support)**

A peer support program providing virtual, one-on-one support services to kinship caregivers. Available at kyfaces.ky.gov/Kinship/KY_KINS. This is peer support -- someone who has been where you are, trained to help you navigate the system.

**Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky**

kinshipky.org

Statewide advocacy organization for kinship families. Resource search by Kentucky county. Led by Norma Hatfield, a grandmother who has been raising her two grandchildren for eight years and has advocated for thousands of other kinship caregivers.

**KYNECT**

kynect.ky.gov

Kentucky's database of resources sorted by zip code. Prescreening tools for state programs. Use this to find what is available in your specific zip code.

**Community Action Kentucky**

communityactionky.org

23 Community Action agencies with outreach in all 120 Kentucky counties. Food, transportation, home energy, early childhood education, senior support, emergency services, housing.

**Kentucky Kinship Resource Center (KKRC)**

socialwork.uky.edu/centers-labs/kentucky-kinship-resource-center/

University of Kentucky College of Social Work. Training, education, and support for kinship providers.

The School Question

With legal custody, a POA, or enrollment assistance through a FRYSC, getting children into school is manageable in Kentucky.

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 the school's main office for the district's McKinney-Vento liaison.

For children with IEPs or 504 plans, you will need legal authority or a signed parental authorization from the incarcerated parent to participate in planning meetings. KDOC 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. Emergency care cannot be denied.

Get a notarized parental Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent through KDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager to arrange. This handles routine medical authorization while you pursue custody through the courts.

Enroll the grandchildren in KCHIP or Medicaid at kyhbe.ky.gov or (855) 306-8959. Health coverage enrollment does not require legal authority.

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 school forms, doctor appointments, lunches, someone to be there, someone to sit with a child who wakes up afraid.

You are also carrying your feelings about your child who is incarcerated. In Kentucky, where the opioid and fentanyl epidemic has been one of the most brutal in the country, those feelings often include watching someone you raised disappear into a substance and then watching the children show up at your door. The grief of that is specific to this crisis. It does not resolve on any particular schedule.

What the grandchildren need: stability in the house you are providing.

What you need: community. FRYSC support groups, KY-KINS peer support, the Kinship Families Coalition, AAA programs, Community Action agencies -- they exist in Kentucky specifically because the scale of the problem here required organized response.

Call kinshipky.org or the kinship hotline at (877) 565-5608.

Talking to the Grandchildren About Where Their Parent Is

The children know something is wrong. Silence does not protect them.

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 their feelings. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways: photos, letters, phone calls.

KDOC phone calls go through ICS Corrections / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.

KCHIP and Kentucky Medicaid cover mental health services for children. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the FRYSC coordinator, school counselor, or the child's primary care provider for a referral.

Your Relationship With Your Incarcerated Child

Your feelings about your child are complicated. You are raising their children because they cannot. Both things are true.

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 grandchildren. KY-KINS peer support, FRYSC kinship groups, the Kinship Families Coalition, a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than holding it alone.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Call the Kentucky Kinship Support Hotline: (877) 565-5608 or email relative.supports@ky.gov. This is the state's primary entry point for kinship support.

Visit kyfaces.ky.gov. Click "Kinship," then "How We Support You." The full list of programs available to you.

Get a notarized Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent through KDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager.

Apply for KFCP through your local Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center if your income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level and you are NOT receiving DCBS Kinship Care payments.

Apply for KTAP child-only grant through DCBS. Contact Family Support at (855) 306-8959. KTAP amounts were updated in 2023. The grandparent's income is not counted for child-only.

Apply for KCHIP or Kentucky Medicaid at kyhbe.ky.gov or (855) 306-8959.

Apply for SNAP at the same time.

If DCBS placed the children: ask your DCBS worker about the Relative Placement Support Benefit (one-time), the Kinship Care monthly payments, and the Subsidized Permanent Custody option if long-term placement is being considered.

Contact the FRYSC at the grandchildren's school. Ask about kinship support groups and immediate material assistance.

Connect to Community Action Kentucky in your county. communityactionky.org.

Start the custody or guardianship process. Contact your local legal aid organization. The KFCP can help pay legal fees once you qualify.

Take care of yourself. KY-KINS peer support (kyfaces.ky.gov/Kinship/KY_KINS) provides virtual one-on-one support. You do not have to do this alone.

FAQ

**What is the Kentucky Family Caregiver Program (KFCP)?** KFCP provides financial assistance and supportive services for grandparents raising grandchildren who are NOT receiving state Kinship Care (DCBS) payments. Financial assistance can be used for clothing, school supplies, cribs, respite care, and legal fees for gaining custody. Income must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging or Aging and Disability Resource Center.

**What is the "double-dip" rule?** You cannot receive KFCP benefits and state DCBS Kinship Care payments at the same time. If DCBS is paying kinship care stipends, KFCP is not available. If you are not in the DCBS system, KFCP is your primary financial resource.

**What is KTAP?** KTAP stands for Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program -- Kentucky's name for TANF. For child-only grants, the grandparent's income is not counted. KTAP benefit amounts were updated in 2023 after not changing since the late 1990s. Contact Family Support at (855) 306-8959 or apply through DCBS.

**What is the Subsidized Permanent Custody (SPC) option?** A new Kentucky permanency option created by the 2024 General Assembly. SPC provides monthly stipends similar to foster care when relative or fictive kin caregivers take permanent custody of children who are in DCBS care. Ask your DCBS worker about SPC if permanent placement is being planned.

**What are FRYSCs and how do they help kinship families?** FRYSCs (Family Resource and Youth Services Centers) are school-based centers operating in many Kentucky public schools. They provide clothing, food, household goods, school supply assistance, referrals to community resources, and many sponsor kinship support groups for grandparent caregivers. Ask the school's main office whether a FRYSC operates at the grandchildren's school.

**What is the Kentucky Kinship Navigator?** The Kentucky Kinship Navigator Web Portal is at kyfaces.ky.gov. Click "Kinship," then "How We Support You." It lists all programs and services available to kinship caregivers in Kentucky. The KY-KINS program provides virtual peer support through the same portal.

**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 their feelings. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, KDOC phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. KCHIP and Kentucky Medicaid cover children's mental health services; ask the FRYSC coordinator, school counselor, or primary care provider for a referral if children are struggling.

[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: Kentucky inmate search, send money, Kentucky reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: kinshipky.org/search-results/ (KFCP established assist Grandparents Raising Grandchildren low-income grandchildren in home without parent; KIPDA serves grandparents any age caring for grandchildren; counseling training vouchers clothing some supplies information referral support groups; KYNECT Kentucky database resources sorted zip code prescreening tools; Legal Aid of the Bluegrass northern central northeastern Kentucky counties free or low cost legal; Legal Aid Society 125-200% FPL; DCBS family support child care protection eligibility Medicaid food energy foster care adoption; FRYSCs non-academic barriers education clothing food household goods referrals kinship support groups; Community Action Kentucky 23 agencies 120 counties food transportation home energy early childhood education senior emergency housing workforce); kinshipky.org/navigating-kinship/ (DCBS local office placement custody; Community Action Kentucky 120 county outreach; jit kentucky.org); prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces/Kinship/KFCP (KFCP wide range services support groups information resources counseling training; income no more than 150% federal poverty level not receive state Kinship Care program benefits; primary caregiver grandchild 18 blood marriage adoption child lives with caregiver parent not in household); prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces/Kinship/KTAP (KTAP financial assistance needy dependent children and relatives living with them; comply Child Support Enforcement if parents not in home); prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces/Kinship/HowWeSupportYouKinship (kinship support hotline 877-565-5608 relative.supports@ky.gov; Family Support 855-306-8959; medical assistance KCHIP kyhbe.ky.gov; Public Health 800-462-6122); prd.webapps.chfs.ky.gov/kyfaces/Kinship/KY_KINS (KY-KINS peer support program innovative individualized virtual one-on-one peer support caregivers relative fictive kin children); jitkentucky.org/documents Flyer kinship care grandparents (Kentucky Kinship Navigator Web Portal kyfaces.ky.gov; KFCP wide range services matching support groups information counseling training; primary caregiver grandchild not older 18 related blood marriage adoption child lives home parents not in household; jit kentucky.org); kyyouth.org/kyga24-major-updates-kinship-families/ (KYGA24 major updates; RPSB one-time Relative Placement Support Benefit sustained investments; Subsidized Permanent Custody SPC new option monthly stipends similar foster care relative fictive kin; SB 151 time for relative fictive kin informed important decision; investing monthly stipends similar foster care relative fictive kin stabilize placements); nkytribune.com April 2023 (KTAP updated increase amounts not changed late 1990s; opioid epidemic fentanyl grandparents 60s 70s 80s drain nest eggs go bankrupt keep kids out foster care; Norma Hatfield Kinship Families Coalition president; DCBS hotline 502-564-3440; kinshipky.org); lcadd.org KFCP (income 150% FPL not exceed; primary caregiver grandchild 18; related blood marriage adoption; resides grandchild parent not in household; not receiving Kinship Care; adopted grandchild eligible if not eligible other adoption subsidies; AAA DAS DCBS application 12-month consent); elderlawguidance.com (KFCP financial assistance school clothes cribs legal fees guardianship; not realize strict criteria; income 150% FPL tighter; double-dip rule cannot receive KFCP and Kinship Care simultaneously); fivco.org (KFCP financial assistance supportive services clothing respite educational supplies other expenses; not child nor grandparent receive Kinship Care funds and qualify for KFCP; Aging Disability Resource Center 606-929-1366); kers.ca.uky.edu (Kentucky diverted over 10,000 children foster care through kinship care; UK Cooperative Extension; Grandparents and Grandchildren Together program); KDOC ICS Corrections GTL phone; kyfaces.ky.gov kinship portal; kyhbe.ky.gov KCHIP Medicaid; kynect.ky.gov; communityactionky.org; socialwork.uky.edu KKRC; McKinney-Vento school enrollment; Social Security 1-800-772-1213. NOTE for Poorwa: verify Kentucky kinship hotline 877-565-5608 and relative.supports@ky.gov current; verify KFCP 150% FPL income limit current; verify double-dip rule KFCP and Kinship Care cannot combine current; verify KTAP still Kentucky TANF name and updated 2023; verify Family Support 855-306-8959 current; verify kyhbe.ky.gov KCHIP Medicaid still current; verify Subsidized Permanent Custody SPC still KYGA24 option now active through DCBS; verify RPSB one-time payment still available; verify KY-KINS still virtual peer support program kyfaces.ky.gov; verify kyfaces.ky.gov kinship portal current; verify DCBS hotline 502-564-3440 current; verify kinshipky.org Kinship Families Coalition current; verify KDOC ICS Corrections GTL phone provider; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; len/character check before publish.]