SM 91 — GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN

SENATEA MEMORIAL 91RECOGNIZING, 54THHONORING LEGISLATURE-AND STATECELEBRATING OFTHE NEWCONTRIBUTIONS MEXICOAND -ACCOMPLISHMENTS FIRSTOF SESSIO,GRANDPARENTS 2019RAISING INTRODUCEDGRANDCHILDREN. BY Linda M.

Lopez5 andWHEREAS, Richardmore C.than thirty-three thousand children in New Mexico are living with a grandparent who is responsible for their care and well-being;

Martinezand 6WHEREAS, 8grandfamilies 10are Aoften MEMORIALcreated RECOGNIZING,suddenly HONORINGin ANDresponse CELEBRATINGto THEan CONTRIBUTIONSacute ANDcrisis ACCOMPLISHMENTSinvolving OFthe GRANDPARENTSparents RAISINGof GRANDCHILDREN.the grandchildren, so there is no opportunity to plan in advance for the addition of grandchildren to the grandparents' household;

14and WHEREAS, moreat thanleast thirty-threefifty thousandpercent childrenof ingrandparents Newraising Mexicograndchildren arehave livingincomes withbelow athe grandparentfederal whopoverty islevel, responsiblecausing the addition of dependent grandchildren to the household to place immediate strain on family finances and creating an urgent need for theiraccess careto resources and well-being;assistance;

and e t 17 WHEREAS, grandfamilieswhat areresources oftenand createdassistance suddenlythat inare wavailable lfor ngrandparents draising 18grandchildren responseare toprovided anthrough acutenumerous crisisdifferent involvingsystems theand parentsthere ofis theno =centralized =process 19to aaccess lthe grandchildren,support sothat theremay isbe noavailable, opportunityfurther toincreasing planstress inon advancegrandparents, iwho aneed eimmediate rhelp 20in fornavigating the additionmultiple ofsystems grandchildreninvolved toin theproviding grandparents'care afor tSM m91 mtheir 21grandchildren; household;

and dPage r1 e 22 WHEREAS, at least fifty percent of grandparents raising cgrandchildren eface snumerous kother 23obstacles, grandchildrenincluding havelack incomesof belowaccess theto federalquality povertybehavioral level,health ecare aservices, ndifficulties benrolling 24grandchildren causingin theschool, additionpossible ofeviction dependentfrom grandchildrenrental housing due to the uadditional [residents, householdlack toof placeaccess immediateto strainchild oncare family finances and .213807.1lack creatingof an urgent need for access to resourceslegal andservices; assistance;

and WHEREAS, whatin resourcesspite andof assistanceall thatof arethe availablealmost-insurmountable fordifficulties, grandparents raisingcontinue grandchildrento aretake providedin throughgrandchildren numerous different systems and thereprovide isthem nolove, centralizedcare, process 6 to access the support thatand mayhope; be available, further increasing stress on grandparents, who need immediate help in navigating the multiple systems involved in providing care for their grandchildren;

and WHEREAS, grandparentsthe raising grandchildren facecared numerousfor otherby obstacles,their includinggrandparents lackare ofNew accessMexico's totreasure, qualityand behavioral 12 health care services, difficulties enrolling grandchildren in school, possible eviction from rental housing due to the additionalfuture residents, lack of accessthe tostate childdepends careon andthem; lack of access to legal services;

andNOW, WHEREAS,THEREFORE, inBE spiteIT ofRESOLVED allBY ofTHE theSENATE almost-insurmountableOF eTHE eSTATE 17OF difficulties,NEW MEXICO that grandparents continueraising tograndchildren takebe inrecognized, grandchildrenhonored eand ecelebrated nfor dtheir 18devoted andefforts provideon thembehalf love,of care,their supportgrandchildren and hope;the people of the state of New Mexico;

and =BE =IT lFURTHER ]RESOLVED 19that WHEREAS,copies theof grandchildrenthis caredmemorial be transmitted to New Mexico voices for bychildren, theirPegasus grandparentslegal aservices lfor rchildren, ithe 20New areMexico coalition of educational leaders, New Mexico'sMexico treasure,court appointed special advocates, the New Mexico PTA, parents reaching out, AARP New Mexico, Las Cumbres community services, the human services department, the children, youth and families department, the futurechildren's ofSM 91 court, the statepublic dependseducation tdepartment, ethe aaging tand onPage them;2 long-term services department and the office of the attorney general.

mSM m91 21Page e3 d4 NOW,6 THEREFORE,8 BE25 IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE r e 22 c e r c 23 OF NEW MEXICO that grandparents raising grandchildren be e a n b 24 recognized, honored and celebrated for their devoted efforts on u [ behalf of their grandchildren and the people of the state of .213807.1 - 2 - New Mexico;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to New Mexico voices for children, Pegasus legal services for children, the New Mexico coalition of educational leaders, New Mexico court appointed special advocates, the New 6 Mexico PTA, parents reaching out, AARP New Mexico, Las Cumbres community services, the human services department, the children, youth and families department, the children's court, the public education department, the aging and long-term services department and the office of the attorney general.

- 3 - 12 14 16 e e 17 e e n d 18 = = l ] 19 a l r i 20 t e a t m m 21 e d r e 22 c e r c 23 e a n b 24 u [ .213807.1