8/14/17 – 5:06 A.M.

As the opioid epidemic rages on, more grandparents find themselves taking custody of their grandchildren. The Courier reports it’s enough of an issue in Hancock County that the juvenile court had to add a staff member. Kathy Elliot works with residents taking in their grandchildren. Probate and Juvenile Court Judge Kristen Johnson tells the newspaper she’s seen an uptick in the number of cases where grandparents have to step in and act as a guardian. Nationwide grandparents are taking care of more than 2.9 million children.

Elliot says the grandparents who come to see her are often scared or overwhelmed. She adds, “A lot of people don’t understand substance abuse, and the grandparents, they don’t understand why their child is choosing drugs over their child.”

You can find a list of local support organizations for people who find themselves in this situation in today’s Courier.

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