HB 1528 — An Act establishing the Grand-family Assistance Program; providing for payments to area agencies on aging; imposing duties on the Department of Aging; and establishing the Grand-family Assistance Program Fund.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

1785 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

2621 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

BROWN, HILL-EVANS, BOROWSKI,WAXMAN, KUZMA,PICKETT, WARREN,T. K.

HARRIS,DAVIS, MAYES, PROBST, MERSKI, SANCHEZ, BOROWSKI, KUZMA, WARREN, K.HARRIS, D.

WILLIAMS, CEPEDA-Z,CEPEDA- FREYTIZ, RIVERA, O'MARA, HADDOCK, GIRAL, HANBIDGE, INGLIS, RADER,MAY JAMES,30, 2025, PIELLI, SHUSTERMAN, HEFFLEY,HEFFLEY FREEMAN, PARKER, PUGH, ARMANINI, GREEN, SCOTT, FLICK, SAMUELSON, KHAN AND BRENNAN,FREEMAN, MAYREFMAY 30, 20252025MITTEE AS AMENDED ON SECONDAGING CONSIDERATION,AND HOUSEOLDER OFADULT REPRESENTATIVES,SERVICES, NOVEMBER 18, 2025 AN ACT Establishing the Grand-family Assistance Program;

providing for grants PAYMENTS to area agencies on aging;

and imposing <-- powers and duties on the Department of Aging.;Aging.

AND <-- ESTABLISHING THE GRAND-FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUND.

The intent of this act is to establish a grant system for <-- PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES EMERGENCY, ONE-TIME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE <-- TO an individual who is a qualified grandparent, resides in this Commonwealth and serves as the primary caregiver for the individual's grandchild while the child's parent actively participates in an opioid use disorder treatment program.

IT IS <-- ALSO THE INTENT OF THIS ACT TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY FROM OPIOID USE DISORDER AND ANY CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING CHILD CARE.

"APPLICATION." AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT <-- UNDER SECTION 5 BY AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING SEEKING PAYMENTS UNDER THIS ACT ON BEHALF OF GRAND-FAMILIES.

"Grand-family." A family where an individual is a <-- grandparent acting as the primary caregiver for the individual's grandchild whose parents cannot provide care due to an opioid use disorder.

"ELIGIBLE"Opioid INDIVIDUAL."use ANdisorder INDIVIDUALtreatment WHOprogram." SATISFIESA ALLprogram OFlicensed <--and THEapproved FOLLOWINGby CRITERIA:the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to address an individual's problematic pattern of opioid use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.

(1)"Program." THEThe INDIVIDUALGrand-family ISAssistance 40Program YEARSestablished OFunder AGEsection OR4. OLDER AND RESIDES WITH A CHILD WHO IS YOUNGER THAN 18 YEARS OF AGE.

(2)Section THE4. INDIVIDUAL IS THE GRANDPARENT OR STEP- GRANDPARENT OF THE CHILD.

(3) THE INDIVIDUAL IS THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER OF THE CHILD BECAUSE THE BIOLOGICAL OR ADOPTIVE PARENTS ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO ACT AS THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER OF THE CHILD.

20250HB1528PN2621 - 2 - (4) THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A LEGAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHILD, INCLUDING LEGAL CUSTODY, ADOPTION OR GUARDIANSHIP OF THE CHILD, OR IS CARING FOR THE CHILD IN AN INFORMAL MANNER.

"GRAND-FAMILY." THE HOUSEHOLD FORMED BY AN ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL AND THE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL'S GRANDCHILD WHO RESIDES WITH THE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL AND FOR WHOM THE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL IS THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER.

"Opioid use disorder treatment program." A program FACILITY <-- licensed and approved by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to address an individual's problematic pattern of opioid use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.

"Program." The Grand-family Assistance Program established under section 4 4(A).

<-- Section 4.

<-- The Grand-family Assistance Program is established in the department.

An area agency on aging shall assist persons in the area that intend to apply for a grant under this act in completing the applications and verify, in writing, on the grant application that the 20250HB1528PN1785 - 2 - application complies with all the requirements of section 6.

20250HB1528PN2621 - 3 - (a) Eligibility.--From money appropriated to the department for the purpose of the program, the department shall approve grants to local area agencies on aging for grand-families that are eligible to receive financial assistance for the reimbursement of expenses directly related to the care of a grandchild whose parent is actively participating in an opioid use disorder treatment program.

(2) To promulgate such rules, regulations and directives as it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this 20250HB1528PN1785 - 3 - act.

(3) To annually provide to the chair and minority chair of the Aging and Youth Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Aging and Older Adult Services 20250HB1528PN2621 - 4 - Committee of the House of Representatives the following information:

SECTIONSection 4.8.

GRAND-FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

<-- (A) ESTABLISHMENT.--THE GRAND-FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHED IN THE DEPARTMENT.

SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE FUNDING, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE PAYMENTS UNDER SUBSECTION (B) TO AREA AGENCIES ON AGING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT, WHICH SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO GRAND-FAMILIES FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF ELIGIBLE EXPENSES UNDER SECTION 7.

(B) USE OF PROGRAM PAYMENTS.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DISTRIBUTE PROGRAM PAYMENTS TO AREA AGENCIES ON AGING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS ACT.

AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING SHALL USE THE PAYMENT RECEIVED UNDER THE PROGRAM ONLY TO REIMBURSE GRAND- FAMILIES FOR ELIGIBLE EXPENSES UNDER SECTION 7.

(C) MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT.--A GRAND-FAMILY MAY RECEIVE A ONE-TIME REIMBURSEMENT UNDER SECTION 7 OF UP TO $1,000 FOR THE FIRST CHILD AND UP TO $500 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL CHILD, NOT TO EXCEED A TOTAL REIMBURSEMENT OF $2,000.

SECTION 5.

APPLICATION.

(A) PROCESS.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR AREA AGENCIES ON AGING TO SEEK PROGRAM PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF GRAND-FAMILIES.

20250HB1528PN2621 - 5 - (B) PUBLIC NOTICE.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND MATERIALS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE.

(C) SUBMISSION.--AN AREA AGENCY ON AGING MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION IN THE FORM AND MANNER DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

SECTION 6.