Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Massachusetts

FINAL META TITLE (58 chars): Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in MA | InmateAid

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Massachusetts | InmateAid

Massachusetts calls its TANF program TAFDC -- Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children. And one of the most important things to know about TAFDC in Massachusetts is what it does NOT require: you do not need legal guardianship or custody to get TAFDC for a grandchild. You just need to show you are related to the child by blood or marriage (even if the marriage has ended) and that the child's parents are not living with you.

If you choose to get TAFDC for the grandchild only -- not yourself -- Massachusetts DTA (Department of Transitional Assistance) will not count your income when determining how much the child can receive. Assets are not counted for any TAFDC applicant. And child-only TAFDC has no work requirements and no time limit.

Massachusetts also has a free statewide Kinship Navigator Program run by the Commonwealth: 1-844-924-4KIN (4546); mass.gov/kinship-navigator. It serves all kinship caregivers -- formal, court-involved, and informal -- and helps you navigate benefits, legal resources, support groups, and community services.

Massachusetts has a state Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, which issued 2025 policy recommendations including increasing the TAFDC child-only grant amount and requiring that legal services funded by the state provide guardianship assistance to grandparents raising grandchildren.

There are more than 50 support groups for grandparents and relative caregivers across Massachusetts.

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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts right now:

If you are caring for grandchildren without DCF involvement, the most important first step is calling the Kinship Navigator (1-844-924-4KIN) and applying for TAFDC child-only at DTAConnect.com or 877-382-2363. You do not need a court order first.

If DCF placed the grandchildren with you, ask your DCF worker about kinship foster care payments and the DCF Sponsored Guardianship option -- which continues payments after guardianship, sometimes through age 18 and beyond, with college support potentially available.

The Kinship Navigator serves both groups. Use it.

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

**Guardianship (Probate and Family Court)**

Guardianship through Massachusetts Probate and Family Court is the primary long-term legal pathway. With guardianship, you have full legal authority to enroll children in school, authorize medical care, apply for benefits, and make decisions for the children.

The Kinship Navigator connects you to legal services statewide including those funded by MLAC (Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation). The 2025 Grandparents Commission recommendation calls for MLAC-funded legal providers to be required to assist grandparents with securing or maintaining guardianship. Contact the Kinship Navigator to find legal help in your area.

Massachusetts Legal Help (masslegalhelp.org) provides free legal information including detailed guidance on TAFDC for grandparents, guardianship, and custody options.

**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 guardianship. Massachusetts DOC (MADOC) facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

**DCF Sponsored Guardianship**

If the grandchildren are in DCF custody and guardianship is the permanency plan, the DCF Sponsored Guardianship option may be available:

- Continue receiving the same level of financial support from DCF as received as a kinship foster parent (paid twice monthly)

- Support may continue after the child turns 18

- College support may be available for youth in guardianship after foster care

- Child may continue to receive MassHealth or be added to the guardian's insurance

- Children may receive extra financial support based on medical, behavioral, or emotional needs

Ask your DCF worker specifically about the DCF Sponsored Guardianship option. Every year as guardian, you must file a report with the court on the child's wellbeing.

**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 Massachusetts Offers Kinship Caregivers

**TAFDC Child-Only Grant (Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children)**

TAFDC is Massachusetts's TANF program. For the child-only option:

- **No guardianship or legal custody required.** You only need to show you are related to the child by blood or marriage and that the parents are not living with you.

- **Your income is not counted.** DTA does not include the grandparent's income when calculating the child-only benefit.

- **No work requirements.**

- **No time limit** on the child-only grant.

- Assets are not counted for any TAFDC applicant.

Getting TAFDC for the grandchild also connects the child to MassHealth (Massachusetts Medicaid).

Apply at DTAConnect.com, call 877-382-2363 (Mon-Fri 8:15am-4:45pm), or visit a local DTA office. Find DTA locations at mass.gov/ContactDTA.

The Massachusetts Grandparents Commission's 2025 recommendation specifically calls for increasing the TAFDC child-only benefit amount -- the current benefit has been identified as insufficient for the actual cost of raising a child. Apply now and advocate for more.

**MassHealth (Massachusetts Medicaid)**

MassHealth covers children receiving TAFDC automatically. Even if you do not qualify for TAFDC yourself, you may be able to get MassHealth for the grandchildren. Apply at DTAConnect.com or through MassHealth at mass.gov/masshealth.

MassHealth covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

Apply through DTA at DTAConnect.com or 877-382-2363. The grandchildren's presence increases your household SNAP benefit.

**WIC**

The Kinship Navigator can connect you to WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition assistance. Available for eligible women and children through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

**Family Caregiver Support Program (ASAP)**

If you are 55 or older, the Family Caregiver Support Program through the 26 Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs) in Massachusetts provides:

- Information and referral

- Interdisciplinary case management

- Intake and assessment

- Service plan development, implementation, and monitoring

- Reassessment of needs

Find your local ASAP at contactus.800ageinfo.com/FindAgency.aspx or call 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636).

**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.

Massachusetts Kinship Navigator: Your First Call

The Kinship Navigator is a free program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving all kinship caregivers regardless of whether DCF is involved.

**Contact:**

- Phone: **1-844-924-4KIN (1-844-924-4546)**

- Email: kinshipnavigator@mass.gov

- Website: mass.gov/kinship-navigator

The Kinship Navigator helps you navigate:

- DTA (TAFDC applications and appeals)

- WIC

- DCF (when involved)

And connects you to community resources including:

- Family Resource Centers (located in each of the 14 Massachusetts counties)

- Massachusetts Grandparents Commission (massgrg.com)

- 50+ support groups statewide

- Mental health and counseling

- Food and nutrition assistance

- Legal services

- Childcare

- Support for kinship caregivers with a family member struggling with substance misuse

This is the program to call first. The staff know the landscape of Massachusetts kinship resources and can walk you through what applies to your situation.

Massachusetts Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Massachusetts has a state legislative commission specifically for grandparents raising grandchildren. Its 2025 goals include expanding outreach statewide and its policy recommendations include increasing TAFDC child-only grant amounts and requiring legal services to provide guardianship help to grandparents.

The Commission's website massgrg.com maintains a list of the 50+ support groups across Massachusetts and tip sheets for grandparents covering legal options, financial resources, support services, and talking to grandchildren about a parent's substance use.

Tip sheets available at massgrg.com:

- Choices in Custody

- Legal Resources for Grandparents and Relative Caregivers

- When DCF is Involved

- Financial Resources

- Support Services

- Talking to Grandchildren About Their Parent's Use of Alcohol or Drugs

GrandFamilies House

Massachusetts has a unique housing resource that does not exist in most other states in this series: GrandFamilies House, operated by the Nuestra Comunidad Development Foundation. It provides 27 apartment homes specifically designed for grandparents raising grandchildren, with assistance securing childcare vouchers and enrollment in nearby preschool and school-age programs.

For grandparents in the greater Boston area who are housing-insecure after the grandchildren arrived, this resource is worth knowing about. Contact the Kinship Navigator for referral information.

The School Question

With legal guardianship, a POA, or court-involved custody, 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 the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.

For children with disabilities, if they are under 3, early intervention services are available. If 3 or older, special education services apply. DCF should have enrolled children in MassHealth if they came through the child welfare system, which facilitates educational services for children with disabilities.

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

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

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

Apply for MassHealth for the grandchildren at DTAConnect.com or mass.gov/masshealth. MassHealth enrollment does not require legal authority -- it requires proof of the child's identity and Massachusetts residency.

If the child is receiving TAFDC, MassHealth enrollment happens automatically.

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 registrations, doctor appointments, someone to be home, someone to sit with a child who wakes up afraid.

You are also carrying your feelings about your child who is incarcerated. Those feelings do not have to resolve on any particular schedule. You can love your child and be furious about what they did. You can hope for the release and dread what comes after.

Massachusetts has one of the strongest grandparent caregiver community networks in this series -- 50+ support groups, a state commission dedicated to advocating for you, a free Kinship Navigator program. These are real resources operated by people who have been doing this work for years.

The Kinship Navigator tip sheet titled "Talking to Grandchildren About Their Parent's Use of Alcohol or Drugs" was written specifically for families in this situation. It is available at massgrg.com.

Call 1-844-924-4KIN. You do not have to figure this out alone.

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.

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

MassHealth covers mental health services for children. The Kinship Navigator can connect you to mental health and counseling resources. If the grandchildren are struggling, contact the Kinship Navigator or ask the school counselor 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. The support groups at massgrg.com, the Kinship Navigator, mental health resources through MassHealth -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Call the Massachusetts Kinship Navigator: 1-844-924-4KIN (1-844-924-4546) or email kinshipnavigator@mass.gov. This is the first call. They know the system.

Apply for TAFDC child-only at DTAConnect.com or 877-382-2363. No guardianship required. Your income is not counted. No work requirement. No time limit on the child-only grant.

Apply for MassHealth for the grandchildren at DTAConnect.com or mass.gov/masshealth. Getting TAFDC makes MassHealth automatic.

Apply for SNAP at DTAConnect.com or 877-382-2363 at the same time.

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

If you are 55 or older: contact your local ASAP (Aging Service Access Point) through 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636) for the Family Caregiver Support Program.

Start the guardianship process. Contact the Kinship Navigator for legal service referrals. Visit masslegalhelp.org for free legal information.

If DCF placed the children: ask your DCF worker about the DCF Sponsored Guardianship option -- twice-monthly payments continuing at kinship foster care levels, potential college support, post-18 support.

Find a support group at massgrg.com. Over 50 groups statewide, online and in person.

Enroll the grandchildren in school. Use McKinney-Vento if needed. Early intervention services are available for children under 3 with disabilities.

Take care of yourself. The Massachusetts Kinship Navigator and support group network are there specifically for you.

FAQ

**What is TAFDC and do I need guardianship to apply?** TAFDC is Massachusetts's TANF program (Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children). You do NOT need guardianship or legal custody to apply for TAFDC for a grandchild. You just need to show you are related to the child by blood or marriage and that the parents are not living with you. For the child-only option, your income is not counted, there is no work requirement, and there is no time limit. Apply at DTAConnect.com or 877-382-2363.

**What is the Massachusetts Kinship Navigator?** A free statewide program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts serving all kinship caregivers -- DCF-involved, court-involved, and informal arrangements. It helps navigate TAFDC, WIC, DCF, and connects caregivers to Family Resource Centers, support groups, legal services, mental health resources, childcare, and more. Phone: 1-844-924-4KIN (1-844-924-4546); kinshipnavigator@mass.gov; mass.gov/kinship-navigator.

**What is MassHealth?** MassHealth is Massachusetts's Medicaid program. Children who receive TAFDC get MassHealth automatically. Even if you don't qualify for TAFDC yourself, the grandchildren may be eligible for MassHealth. Apply at DTAConnect.com or mass.gov/masshealth. MassHealth covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, and more.

**What is the DCF Sponsored Guardianship option?** If DCF placed the grandchildren with you and guardianship is the permanency plan, the DCF Sponsored Guardianship may allow you to continue receiving financial support at the kinship foster care level after guardianship is established -- paid twice monthly, potentially continuing after age 18, with college support possible. Ask your DCF worker specifically about this option.

**What is the Massachusetts Grandparents Commission?** The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is a state legislative commission that advocates for grandparent caregivers. Its 2025 goals include expanding outreach and its policy recommendations include increasing TAFDC child-only amounts and requiring state-funded legal services to assist grandparents with guardianship. Website: massgrg.com. Maintains a list of 50+ support groups and tip sheets for grandparents.

**What is GrandFamilies House?** A housing resource operated by the Nuestra Comunidad Development Foundation in greater Boston: 27 apartment homes specifically designed for grandparents raising grandchildren, with childcare voucher assistance and help enrolling children in nearby preschool and school programs. Contact the Kinship Navigator for referral.

**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. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, MADOC phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. MassHealth covers mental health services; the Kinship Navigator can connect you to counseling resources. The Massachusetts Grandparents Commission tip sheet "Talking to Grandchildren About Their Parent's Use of Alcohol or Drugs" is available at massgrg.com.