WESTFIELD – The Attorney General’s Office hosted the “Information Exchange for Kinship Caregivers” forum at the Westfield Senior Center on Thursday night. The forum is a part of the Attorney General’s 2016 Fall Listening Tour.
Just last week, the Attorney General’s Office held a forum in Pittsfield. Communities having forums taking place in the coming weeks include Worcester, Greenfield, Lowell, Dartmouth, Bourne and Boston.
The main emphasis on the forum at the senior center was towards grandparents raising grandchildren that are affected by opioids.
There was a panel on stage that started the forum by addressing the crowd. Representing Grandparents Raising Grandchildren was Chairman John Lepper and Commissioner Margo Chevers.
From the Attorney General’s Office was Assistant Attorney General Abigail Taylor, and Catherine Madden, the Project Manager.
Several Grandparents raising Grandchildren in Westfield as well as throughout Western Mass., attended the event at the Westfield Senior Center. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
Local businesses in the area were present as they set up tables and made their resources available after the forum was finished.
Communicating with the grandparents in the crowd was critical for members of the panel.
“The objective is to exchange information with them,” said Lepper.
The panel did a slide show presentation and reported what they have found in regards to statistics about grandparents raising grandchildren.
According to the National Statistics on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, seven million grandparents are living with their own grandchildren that are under the age of 18. Of that seven million, 2.7 million are responsible for the grandparent’s basic needs. Then, 33% of that 2.7 have no parents in the household to take care of the grandparents.
Chevers, who personally deals with raising a grandchild, talked to the crowd about how their lives are impacted.
“Our lives change 180 degrees,” said Chevers. “Financially, many households are impacted.”
Various important topics were addressed throughout the night. If the parents are unable to take care of the child or children because of addiction or other issues, it leaves the grandparents in a situation they never imagined.
“It’s been hard all around but we’re going to make it through” said a grandparent who requested to be anonymous.
A Westfield resident, that grandparent has been raising the grandchild for the past 10 years.
A lady named Mary, stressed about that financial burden that is put on a grandparent.
“I’m on a fixed income,” said Mary.
She went to court to gain custody of her grandchild and is still fighting that battle.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re alone until you see the group that’s here,” said Mary.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Chairman, John Lepper, addresses the crowd to start the forum. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
Brenda Leja, has been raising her granddaughter after her son and son’s girlfriend were battling addiction.
After beginning to raise the child, Leja said that she went to DSS (Department of Social Services) and was told she couldn’t get assistance.
The last thing Leja wanted to do was put her granddaughter in foster care and then have her return after dealing with the emotional stress.
“Why put the child through it”? said Leja. “I love this child beyond words.”
Leja was also passionate about seeing her son have the opportunity at some point to be the daughter’s father.
“I also want her father to be a part of her life,” said Leja.
A crucial cause of parents with addiction problems is being able to overcome it so they can become the parent that their child needs.
While having clinics for addicts or recovering addicts could be a step forward, Leja wants the state to take the problem a step further.
“It has to stop,” said Leja. “They have to focus more on abstinence.”
A 2015 informal survey that included known support groups throughout Massachusetts, estimated that 80% of the members of those support groups are raising grandchildren because of a parents’ addiction to drugs.
A grandmother who also wanted to remain anonymous, talked about how her grandson was directly affected by the parent’s addiction.
According to the grandmother, the grandson was born a heroin addict as a result of his parents’ addiction. As she is continuing to raise the grandson who is still in a stroller, she is also raising a granddaughter.
Battling with the courts has been a problem for the grandmother and is continuing the attempt for full custody.
“I’m fighting for permanency for her (granddaughter),” said the grandmother.
Dealing with one uphill battle after another, the grandmother saw the unity that was felt at the forum with so many grandparents that are in the same position.
“It’s good to see I’m not alone.”
