HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — For some grandparents and relatives across Alabama raising children who are impacted by the opioid epidemic, some much-needed financial assistance is coming their way for the first time in state history.

Those families are getting that money from the Alabama opioid settlement fund.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, over 60,000 grandparents and other relatives take care of over 230,000 children in Alabama. In many cases that’s due to the impacts related to drug addiction whether it’s a parent who has overdosed or is not mentally fit to take care of their child.

For the first time in state history, grandparents and relatives in Madison County are getting financial help to meet the needs of children who find themselves in those circumstances.

“It’s a prevention project,” Children First Foundation Vice Chair Dr. Marsha Raulerson said.

As a pediatrician working with children for decades, Dr. Raulerson knows many kids across the state will benefit.

“The children need things the step-up parents can’t really afford, grandparents want things for the child but they just can’t afford it just putting food on the table, buying school uniforms doing all of those things that you have to do takes all the money they don’t have,” Raulerson said.

An amount of $270,000 will be given to three counties in Alabama. The $90,000 grant designated for Madison County will be a one-time payment to be evenly distributed, but child advocates are hoping elected officials will consider doing it for as long as opioid settlement funding is available.

Grandparents as Parents is a non-profit organization in North Alabama advocating for families in this kind of position. Keith Lowhorne and his wife founded the organization with the goal of assisting other grandparents who are raising children like they are.

“It’s not like we have a job 40 hours a week that we go to to work, our income is very limited as to what we can do,” Lowhorne said. “We need all the help we possibly can get and there is no help available, it’s going to make a difference”

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The effects of the opioid epidemic are why Lowhorne and his wife are looking after their grandkids and it’s why he helped make it all become a reality for those families.

“It’s not utopia, it’s not the best thing we could do but it’s a start and that’s all we can offer these grandparents,” Lowhorne said. “It’s a beginning, it’s the sunshine coming through and we have to keep moving forward.”

Children must have at least one parent struggling with addiction for their grandparents or relatives to qualify and with the goal of making the process easy, they won’t have to provide their income.

Those payments could start going out beginning this Fall.

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