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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Papen

DATE TYPED 2/2/2005 HB

SHORT TITLE Raising at-Risk Grandchildren Program

SB 254

ANALYST Dunbar

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$100.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB229.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Aging and Long Term Care Department (ALTSD)

Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC)

NM Public Education Department (NMPED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 254 appropriates $100,000 from the general fund in FY06 to CYFD for an intergen-

erational training research and support program to assist grandparents raising at-risk grandchil-

dren in Dona Ana and southern Otero counties.

Significant Issues

The bill defines grandparent caregivers as grandparents or great-grandparents who live in the

same household and who serve as primary caregiver(s) for one or more of their grandchildren.

The bill identifies specific services CYFD will provide including accessibility to experienced

professionals, support in establishing legal relationships, financial assistance, access to mental

and physical health services, and support for after-school care, transportation and tutoring.

DDPC indicates that increasing numbers of grandchildren being raised by grandparents have de-

Senate Bill 254- Page 2

velopmental disabilities. An American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) article ad-

dresses this growing population, identifies the physical and health stressors that affect these

grandparents, and provide evidence that support groups help reduce depression and increase the

sense of mastery in care giving skills.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Improved family stability among the “at-risk” target population may serve to reduce the number

of children involved with CYFD systems.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100,000 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund.

Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the gen-

eral fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CYFD would be required to use existing resources to administer the development and monitor-

ing of the new contract services described in the bill, including the specified research component.

DUPLICATION

SB 254 duplicates HB229.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

CYFD points out that the bill does not define the “at-risk” target population, or specify whether

the children identified must be in the custody of CYFD, involved in the judicial system, or sim-

ply living with the grandparents.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Although widely acknowledged to be a statewide problem, the bill appropriates funds only to a

small southwestern region, and excludes other localities from receiving training or support

through this appropriation. CYFD currently provides a range of support services to grandparents

when grandchildren are formally placed in their care. CYFD also provides child care assistance

to income eligible grandparents who have custody or guardianship of their grandchildren.

Grandparents are exempt from co-payments for child care assistance under current child care as-

sistance regulations.

According to the AARP October 2003 New Mexico Fact Sheet for Grandparents and Other Rela-

tives Raising Children: (*These data are taken from the U.S. Census Bureau Table DP-2. Profile

Selected Social Characteristics:2000):

•

Nationally, 4.5 million children are living in grandparent-headed households (6.3% of all

children under age 18). This represents a 30% increase from 1990 to 2000.

•

In New Mexico, there are 41,085 children living in grandparent-headed households (8.1%

of all the children in the state). There are another 10,572 children living in households

headed by other relatives (2.1% of all the children in the state).

•

In New Mexico, 54,041 grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren

Senate Bill 254- Page 3

living with them [4,272 in Albuquerque]: 2% of these grandparents are African Ameri-

can; 53% are Hispanic/Latino; 20% are American Indian or Alaskan Native; and 23% are

White. 30% of these grandparents live in households without the children’s parents pre-

sent.

BD/yr