Patricia Valley, MA, LPC¹, Kit Welsh, PsyD¹, Russell A. Brewer, MPH, CHES², and Raymond McCaffrey, PhD¹. (1) Child Guidance Division, Cleveland County Health Department, 250 12th Avenue N.E., Norman, OK 73071, (405) 579-2238, patriciv@health.state.ok.us, (2) Health Education and Promotion, Cleveland County Health Department, 250 12th Avenue N.E., Norman, OK 73071

Approximately 2.4 million grandparents in the United States have primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren. Oklahoma ranks second in the U.S. at 58.5% or 39,279 grandparents raising their grandchildren. Grandparents As Second Parents (GASP) was developed in response to the overwhelming number of children in Cleveland County who were being raised by their grandparents or other relative. According to the 2000 census, almost half of all grandchildren living in a home with grandparents in Cleveland County were cared for solely by their grandparents. GASP is a support group for grandparents and other relatives (i.e. aunts, uncles, siblings) who, as a result of environmental influences, are raising children other than their own. Some of these environmental influences include abuse, neglect, alcohol and drug abuse, abandonment, death, and incarceration.

Developed in 1998, GASP meets the first and third Thursday of every month at the Cleveland County Health Department. The components of GASP include adult and children’s groups that meet at the same time. The adult group serves a supportive as well as an educational role. The children’s group allows kids ages 0-13 years old to interact with other children not being raised by their parents. The continued support of grandparents through their monthly attendance and involvement in publicizing and recruiting new members attests to the success of the program. Based on participant reports, this group helps alleviate the grandparents’ feelings of social isolation and allows them to better cope with their sense of loss.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the causative factors that result in grandparents raising grandchildren.
• List resources available for grandparents raising grandchildren.

Keywords: Aging, Resource Development

Related Web page: www.health.state.ok.us/chds/cleveland/services/cg/cg-7.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.