QUESTION
Why was the Grandparent Resource Center program eliminated, and what alternatives are being provided?
1:58:42
·
145 sec
The Grandparent Resource Center program was ended due to low utilization, but its services have been incorporated into existing caregiving programs.
- The program was specifically intended for kinship care but saw very low usage.
- Caregiving programs have been enhanced to include kinship care training, expanding knowledge and capacity.
- This decision was difficult but made based on the program's utilization.
- Communication challenges have been mentioned in relaying this change to those who utilized the Grandparent Resource Center.
- The Department for the Aging is looking into the impact and effectiveness of the integrated services.
Crystal Hudson
1:58:42
I wanna just touch on the Grandparent resource center for a second I heard from a lot of constituents in my district in particular, but we've heard from many older adults across the board that the Grandparent resource center a very valuable and useful resource for them, and it was ended, and many older adults are curious about the future.
1:59:02
So can you tell us why the program was eliminated?
Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez
1:59:06
The program was ended because of low utilization for its intended purpose.
1:59:11
Which was kinship care.
1:59:13
And so it was very low utilization in that area.
1:59:18
What we've done now is added that to some of our caregiving programs, and I'm going to get you some later on more of the details on that.
1:59:27
So I can give you a robust picture.
1:59:29
But what we've done is that we've built in kinship care part of training from many more of our caregiving programs.
1:59:37
So that we could then expand the capacity of kinship care and knowledge of kinship care across the board.
1:59:46
So it was it was a difficult decision, but it was based on utilization.
Crystal Hudson
1:59:51
Okay.
1:59:52
So is it safe to say that you don't plan to restore that program, but that there are alternatives.
Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez
1:59:59
Services, and we've we've are
Crystal Hudson
2:00:01
still available Yes.
Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez
2:00:03
Through our caregiving program, and I can get you exactly how we've done that and what we've seen as the results of that.
Crystal Hudson
2:00:10
Okay.
2:00:10
It would be great to get that because I I'm also curious to know how that's being communicated to the people who are in the program.
Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez
2:00:18
It has been a communication challenge for us.
2:00:22
Because we've expressed that.
2:00:24
But and we have not heard for about a year and a half not maybe a year of any services that have been unattended to or needed since we've done this other expansion and other training.
2:00:42
So I'm I'm curious about that.
2:00:44
So I will look into that, but I'll tell you exactly how we address that and what the impact of that has been.
Crystal Hudson
2:00:50
Okay.
2:00:50
I'll follow-up with you also Yes.
2:00:53
Directly get some specifics.
2:00:54
Yeah.
2:00:55
We had some specific issues in our in our district, and I believe we reached out to your office.
Gale Brewer
2:01:00
Okay.
Crystal Hudson
2:01:01
I don't know where that landed, so I'll follow-up.
Lorraine Cortes-Vasquez
2:01:04
Absolutely, Jeff.
Crystal Hudson
2:01:06
Okay.