Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in New York | InmateAid
New York's Kinship Navigator is one of the most comprehensive kinship support organizations in this series: a toll-free line, over 50 cited legal fact sheets, a county-by-county resource map covering all of New York State, and Kinship Specialists who conduct intake and develop action plans for individual families. The phone number is **(877) 454-6463**. The website is nysnavigator.org. It is free.
New York's child-only TANF grant for grandparents -- called by many names at the county level -- is the **Non-Parent Grant**. You may also hear it called the child-only grant, the OTG grant (other than grantee), the PACO, the NPC (non-parent caretaker grant), or the kincare grant. These are all names for the same program: cash public assistance for a child in the care of a relative who is not financially responsible for the child. The grandparent's income is not counted. The amount **varies by county** -- New York administers its public assistance at the county level, through county Departments of Social Services (DSS). Getting the non-parent grant also automatically qualifies the child for New York Medicaid.
New York is a large, complex, and county-administered state. A grandparent in the Bronx and a grandparent in Jefferson County in the North Country are dealing with different amounts, different local programs, and different distances to services. The NYS Kinship Navigator exists specifically to bridge that complexity. Call it first.
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.
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 New York right now:
If you are caring for grandchildren outside the foster care system (which most New York kinship caregivers are), the Non-Parent Grant and Medicaid through your county DSS are your primary immediate resources. The NYS Kinship Navigator connects you to legal, financial, and community resources specific to your county.
If the local Department of Social Services (LDSS/ACS in NYC) placed the grandchildren with you as a kinship foster parent, you are in the formal foster care system. Ask your caseworker about foster care payments, kinship licensing, and KinGAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program) if long-term guardianship is the plan.
Start with the Kinship Navigator: **(877) 454-6463** | navigator@nysnavigator.org | nysnavigator.org.
The Non-Parent Grant: What It Is and How to Apply
New York's child-only public assistance for grandparents and relative caregivers goes by many names at the county level. The Kinship Navigator calls it the "non-parent grant." You may hear it called:
- Non-parent grant
- Child-only grant
- OTG (other than grantee) grant
- PACO (public assistance child only)
- NPC (non-parent caretaker) grant
- Kincare grant
All of these names refer to the same program.
**Key features:**
- Cash public assistance for a child in the care of a relative who is NOT financially responsible for the child
- The grandparent's income is **not counted**
- The child's income is used to determine the grant amount
- **Amount varies by county** -- different counties pay different amounts; verify your county's current amount at your local DSS
- Receiving the non-parent grant automatically qualifies the child for New York Medicaid
- Applies to Family Assistance (TANF-funded) for eligible cases, and Safety Net Assistance (state/local-funded) for others
**Apply at your county Department of Social Services.** Find your county DSS at otda.ny.gov or call 2-1-1.
The NYS Kinship Navigator has a detailed guide: "Public Benefits and Non-Parent Caregiver Grant" -- available at nysnavigator.org. Read it before you go to the county DSS to understand what you are entitled to and how the system describes it.
Legal Authority: What It Is and How to Get It in New York
**Custody (Family Court or Supreme Court)**
Legal custody through New York family court or supreme court is the primary long-term legal pathway for most grandparents not in the foster care system. With legal custody, you have authority to make educational and medical decisions for the grandchildren.
New York courts can grant legal custody, physical custody, or both. The standard is the best interests of the child.
The NYS Kinship Navigator has over 50 legal fact sheets at nysnavigator.org, including: "Enabling New York's Kinship Caregivers: Custody, Guardianship, Parental Designation Basic Procedure." These are free, cited legal guides specific to New York law.
**Guardianship (Surrogate's Court or Family Court)**
Guardianship in New York can be granted through Surrogate's Court or Family Court. Guardianship provides comprehensive legal authority.
**Parental Designation of Children's Caregiver (Up to 12 Months)**
New York law allows a parent to designate a caregiver for up to 12 months. For an incarcerated parent, this designation gives the named caregiver authority to make certain decisions for the child. Contact the NYS Kinship Navigator for guidance on how to execute a Parental Designation with an incarcerated parent.
NYDOC (New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, DOCCS) facilities have notary services -- contact the facility's family services coordinator.
**KinGAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program)**
KinGAP is New York's subsidized guardianship for children who have been in foster care. When adoption and reunification are ruled out and the child would otherwise remain in foster care, kinship foster parents can take guardianship through KinGAP, receiving financial and medical assistance.
OCFS Booklet: "Know Your Permanency Options: The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program" (Pub. 5108; English and Spanish) -- available through the NYS Kinship Navigator and OCFS.
If you are in the foster care system, ask your caseworker about KinGAP eligibility.
**Adoption**
Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. KinGAP guardianship is specifically designed as an alternative when adoption is not appropriate and the biological parent remains an integral part of the child's life.
Money: What New York Offers Kinship Caregivers
**Non-Parent Grant (Child-Only TANF)**
As described above: cash public assistance for the child; grandparent's income not counted; amount varies by county; triggers Medicaid. Apply at your county DSS.
**New York Medicaid**
Getting the non-parent grant automatically qualifies the child for New York Medicaid. Children may also qualify through the State Child Health Program (CHIP) regardless of grant status. Apply through your county DSS or at ny.gov/services/apply-medicaid.
Medicaid covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.
**SNAP (Food Assistance)**
Apply through your county DSS. The grandchildren's presence increases your household food benefit.
**Kinship Caregiver Program Benefits (OCFS-Funded)**
OCFS funds county-specific kinship programs that provide case management and additional assistance to kinship caregivers. These vary by county. Find what is available in your county at nysnavigator.org/family-resources/resource-map/.
The Kinship Caregiver Program also provides a small subsidy for goods such as furniture, clothing, or extracurricular activities for some families. Access through your local kinship program.
**KinGAP Subsidy (Foster Care Cases)**
Financial and medical assistance for kinship foster parents who transition to guardianship through KinGAP. Ask your LDSS caseworker or contact OCFS.
**Foster Care Payments (Licensed Kinship Foster Parents)**
If you are a licensed kinship foster parent in the LDSS/ACS foster care system, you receive foster care maintenance payments. Licensing through the county is required; consult your caseworker.
**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.
NYS Kinship Navigator: The First Call
The New York State Kinship Navigator is operated by Catholic Charities and Family Community Services (through Rochester Catholic Family Center) and is the primary resource for all New York kinship caregivers.
**Contact:**
- Phone (toll-free): **(877) 454-6463**
- Email: navigator@nysnavigator.org
- Website: nysnavigator.org
**What the Navigator provides:**
- Over 50 legal fact sheets on New York kinship law, rights, and resources
- County-by-county resource pages: kinship, legal, aging, youth services by county
- Information on financial assistance, legal rights, and community services
- Kinship Specialist intake and action plan development
- Guide to Kinship Law in New York State
- Guides to financial assistance
- Local kinship program referrals
The Navigator's county resource page (nysnavigator.org/family-resources/resource-map/) is the fastest way to find what is specifically available in the county where you live.
The Navigator serves both kinship caregivers NOT in foster care (the large majority) and those who are. It also serves service providers.
New York's County-Level Reality
New York administers most of its public assistance at the county level. This has two implications:
**The non-parent grant amount varies by county.** The amount you receive in Westchester County will be different from the amount in Chemung County. Verify your county's current amount at your local DSS office or through the Kinship Navigator.
**The local programs available vary by county.** OCFS funds county-specific kinship programs. Some counties have robust local kinship case management programs; others have fewer resources. The NYS Kinship Navigator's county resource page shows what is available where you are.
New York City operates under the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), which is a city-level child welfare agency. Families in the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island) contact ACS rather than a county DSS. ACS: 311 (NYC) or 1-800-342-3720.
For NYC families: the non-parent grant is available; Medicaid is available; kinship programs operate within the five boroughs; the Kinship Navigator covers NYC families as well.
The School Question
With legal custody, guardianship, or a Parental Designation, school enrollment is straightforward.
Without legal authority: the NYS Department of Education has specific rules for public school enrollment by non-parent caregivers. The fact sheet is available through the NYS Kinship Navigator at nysnavigator.org. Non-parent caregivers have a right to enroll children in school. Contact the school district's pupil services office and reference the NYS Education Department's guidance on non-parent enrollment.
McKinney-Vento also applies -- schools must immediately enroll children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration regardless of documentation. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.
For children with IEPs, you will need legal authority or signed parental authorization to participate in planning meetings. NYDOCCS facilities have notary services -- contact the facility's family services coordinator.
Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done
Get a Parental Designation (up to 12 months) signed by the incarcerated parent through NYDOCCS notary services. Contact the facility family services coordinator.
Apply for New York Medicaid for the grandchildren at your county DSS. Getting the non-parent grant triggers Medicaid automatically. You can also apply for CHIP separately at ny.gov.
New York's Geographic Reality
New York State is vast and diverse. The five boroughs of New York City contain more people than most states. Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region (Albany, Troy, Schenectady), Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, the Adirondacks, the Southern Tier, and the North Country each have their own resource landscapes.
NYDOCCS facilities are spread across the state, with many in rural areas far from New York City. Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora (Clinton County, near the Canadian border) is over 5 hours from New York City. Attica Correctional Facility (Wyoming County) is over 6 hours from the city. For a Bronx family with a parent at Clinton: visiting requires planning and resources.
The NYS Kinship Navigator's toll-free line and county resource pages are specifically designed to serve the full geographic range of New York State -- from the North Country to Staten Island.
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. You can love your child and be furious. You can hope for the release and fear what comes after.
New York's opioid and fentanyl crisis has struck both the dense urban communities and rural upstate counties. The incarceration that follows drug-related offenses has put grandparents in this situation across every part of the state.
The local kinship programs funded by OCFS -- find yours at nysnavigator.org -- provide counseling, legal information, support groups, parenting skills, and education. The Kinship Navigator's support group listings at nysnavigator.org connect you to other grandparents doing what you are doing in your county.
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.
New York DOCCS phone calls go through ICS Corrections / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.
New York Medicaid covers mental health services for children. The local kinship programs through OCFS provide counseling referrals. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor or contact the NYS Kinship Navigator.
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. Local kinship support groups (find them at nysnavigator.org), a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.
What to Do First: A Practical Checklist
Call the NYS Kinship Navigator: (877) 454-6463 or email navigator@nysnavigator.org. A Kinship Specialist will help you identify what is available in your county and what steps to take next.
Apply for the Non-Parent Grant at your county DSS (or ACS in NYC). The grandparent's income is not counted. Getting the grant triggers Medicaid for the child. The amount varies by county.
Apply for SNAP at your county DSS.
Get a Parental Designation (up to 12 months) signed by the incarcerated parent through NYDOCCS notary services. Contact the facility family services coordinator.
Use the NYS Kinship Navigator county resource page (nysnavigator.org/family-resources/resource-map/) to find local kinship programs, legal services, aging services, and other resources in your specific county.
Read the Kinship Navigator fact sheet on school enrollment by non-parent caregivers (at nysnavigator.org) and enroll the grandchildren in school.
Start the custody or guardianship process. Review the Kinship Navigator's legal fact sheets (50+ available). Find legal aid in your county through nysnavigator.org or Legal Aid Society (legalaid.org for NYC; legal aid programs statewide).
If LDSS/ACS placed the grandchildren in foster care: ask your caseworker about KinGAP eligibility when adoption and reunification are ruled out.
Take care of yourself. Local kinship support groups are listed at nysnavigator.org. Use them.
FAQ
**What is the non-parent grant in New York?** The non-parent grant is New York's child-only public assistance for grandparents and relative caregivers. It goes by many names (child-only grant, OTG, PACO, NPC, kincare grant) but all refer to the same program. The grandparent's income is not counted. The amount varies by county. Getting the grant triggers Medicaid for the child. Apply at your county Department of Social Services (or ACS in NYC).
**What is the NYS Kinship Navigator?** The primary kinship resource organization for all of New York State. Phone: (877) 454-6463. Email: navigator@nysnavigator.org. Website: nysnavigator.org. Free for all kinship caregivers. Provides over 50 legal fact sheets, county-by-county resource listings, Kinship Specialist intake, and action plan development. Operated by Catholic Charities and Family Community Services.
**What is KinGAP?** The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program -- New York's subsidized guardianship for children who have been in foster care when adoption and reunification are ruled out. Provides financial and medical assistance to kinship foster parents who take guardianship. Contact your LDSS caseworker or OCFS. OCFS Booklet: "Know Your Permanency Options" (Pub. 5108; available at nysnavigator.org).
**What is the Parental Designation of Children's Caregiver?** A New York option allowing a parent to designate a caregiver for up to 12 months. An incarcerated parent can designate you through NYDOCCS notary services. This gives you authority to make certain decisions for the child. Contact the NYS Kinship Navigator for guidance on execution.
**Can I enroll my grandchildren in school without legal authority?** Yes, with documentation. New York State Department of Education has specific rules for non-parent caregiver school enrollment. The Kinship Navigator has the relevant fact sheet at nysnavigator.org. McKinney-Vento also provides a backup enrollment right for children in unstable housing. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.
**Why does the non-parent grant amount vary and how do I find out my county's amount?** New York administers public assistance at the county level; different counties set different grant amounts within state guidelines. Contact your county Department of Social Services or call the Kinship Navigator at (877) 454-6463.
**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, NYDOCCS phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. New York Medicaid covers children's mental health services; local kinship programs provide counseling referrals; contact the Kinship Navigator.