The Lake County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a proclamation declaring September 2025 as Grandparent and Kinship Appreciation Month and heard from Job and Family Services staff about resources for relatives raising children.

Job and Family Services staff member Suzanne told the board that state data show "more than 240,000 children under the age of 18 are being cared for in homes other than their parents," and that "more than 189,000 of them are living with their grandparents" in Ohio. She urged relatives providing care to seek supports available through county and state programs.

The proclamation was presented during the commissioners' resolutions segment and drew several comments from commissioners and Job and Family Services staff. Jean Teitrick, substitute care supervisor for foster care and adoption at Lake County Job and Family Services, described the agency's kinship program and invited relatives to call the department for assistance. "If relatives don't think that they qualify for anything, I am inviting them right now to just give me a call through (440) 350-4260," Teitrick said. She listed local work by the agency's substitute care unit to locate and support kinship caregivers and to help return children to family when appropriate.

Suzanne outlined statewide programs she said are available to kinship caregivers, including the Kinship Permanency Incentive Program, the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigation program, the kinship guardianship assistance program (KGAP), and Ohio Works First child-only benefits. She described the programs as among the statewide resources that county staff can help relatives access.

Commissioners thanked Job and Family Services staff and several commissioners offered brief remarks recognizing the sacrifices of relatives who take on caregiving roles. The board then voted to adopt the proclamation.

The commissioners also passed a separate resolution later in the meeting to authorize a contract with Project Hope to provide homeless prevention services to eligible TANF recipients (see "Votes at a glance" for details).