Casey Spotlight: Senator Casey Shines a Light on Grandparents Who Have Stepped in to Raise their Grandchildren
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Dear Friends:
As Americans across the Nation struggle with the opioid crisis, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing focused on grandparents who have stepped in to raise their grandchildren. Postponing retirement, being isolated from their peers, and decreasing their focus on their own health and well-being are just a few of the issues faced by grandparents who now find themselves raising their grandchildren. You can watch a brief video about what some of these grandparents face here.
During the hearing, I announced that I would be working with Chairman Collins and others to create a one-stop-shop to help grandparents raising their grandchildren access information and resources.
Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress are about to make the job of some of these grandparents more difficult. At the height of an epidemic, they are pushing through a proposal that will roll back the health coverage that enables millions of individuals to access mental health and substance use disorder treatment. According to researchers, up to $5.5 billion in mental health and substance use disorder treatment services annually are in jeopardy. This undermines the $1 billion in treatment funding I supported last year as part of the 21st Century Cures Act.
We must continue to do more to partner with states to address the epidemic, instead of undermining the treatment needs of individuals and families so that grandparents can be grandparents and grandchildren can be grandchildren.
Thank you,
Bob Casey
