More than 2.4 million children are being raised by grandparents or other relatives because their parents have died, are incarcerated, are struggling with substance use, or are otherwise unable to care for them. The opioid epidemic has had a significant impact on grandfamilies, with children and caregivers often facing trauma, health and mental health challenges, financial strain, and difficulty accessing needed services and supports. Yet grandfamilies have not always been directly centered in decisions about how opioid settlement funds are used.
This resource highlights why opioid settlement funds should support children and caregivers impacted by the opioid epidemic. It provides examples of how states and local communities are using settlement funds to strengthen grandfamilies through direct financial assistance, kinship navigation, mental health services, support groups, legal assistance, and other services. These examples can help advocates, policymakers, and community leaders identify opportunities to ensure opioid settlement investments reach grandfamilies and help children and families thrive.