Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Nebraska

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Voice: Plain, honest, practical. No false comfort. No condescension. She made a choice. Honor it and give her what she needs.

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Nebraska | InmateAid

Nebraska calls its TANF program ADC -- Aid to Dependent Children. The Nebraska DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) page on kinship care benefits is direct about how the income test works: the grandparent's income is counted **only if the grandparent wishes to be included in the ADC grant as a non-parent needy caretaker**. If you want the ADC grant for the child only, it is based on the child's income -- not yours.

Nebraska DHHS also names two free Kinship Navigation programs directly on its kinship benefits page:

- **Nebraska Children's Home Society (NCHS) Kinship Navigation Program**: 1-888-315-7347 | nchs.org/kinship-navigation

- **Lutheran Family Services KinCare**: 1-833-572-2053 | lfsneb.org/service/lutheran-family-services-kincare

Both are available regardless of how the child came to live with you -- foster care involvement, informal arrangement, or anything in between.

Nebraska DHHS also names Legal Aid of Nebraska on the same page (legalaidofnebraska.org) as the legal resource for kinship families.

One important distinction: the Child Care Subsidy in Nebraska **does count the caregiver's income**, unlike the ADC child-only grant. Named separately because grandparents sometimes assume all Nebraska kinship programs use the same income test. They do not.

You did not plan for this. You raised your children. You got to the other side of it. And then your child was incarcerated and the grandchildren needed somewhere to go. You said yes.

This article covers what Nebraska offers you and what to do first.

The Decision You Already Made

You already made the hardest decision. The grandchildren are with you. Everything else in this article is about making that workable.

A few things to understand about your position in Nebraska right now:

If you are caring for grandchildren without DHHS child welfare involvement, the ADC child-only grant, Medicaid for Children, and SNAP are your primary resources. Apply at your local DHHS office or at access.ne.gov.

If DHHS placed the grandchildren with you as a kinship foster placement, your DHHS caseworker is your primary contact. Ask about foster care payments, licensing, and the Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program if guardianship is being planned.

Both Kinship Navigation programs serve formal and informal kinship arrangements. Call either one first -- they will help you figure out where to start.

Legal Authority: What It Is and How to Get It in Nebraska

**Guardianship and Conservatorship (District Court)**

Nebraska grandparents pursue custody or guardianship through district court. The ADC relative payee case can include a child living with a "legally appointed guardian or conservator" -- an individual appointed by the court to be in charge of the affairs of a person.

With guardianship, you have legal authority to enroll children in school, authorize medical care, apply for benefits, and make day-to-day decisions.

Legal Aid of Nebraska provides free civil legal help to income-eligible Nebraskans, including guardianship cases. Contact: legalaidofnebraska.org.

**Power of Attorney**

A notarized parental Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent gives you immediate authority for school enrollment and medical care while you pursue guardianship. Nebraska DOC (NDCS) facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

**Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance**

Nebraska has an approved Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program for children who have been in DHHS foster care and transition to relative guardianship. If DHHS placed the children and guardianship is the permanency plan, ask your DHHS caseworker about guardianship assistance eligibility.

**Adoption**

Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. Consider carefully when the incarcerated parent has a realistic path to release and reunification.

Money: What Nebraska Offers Kinship Caregivers

**ADC Child-Only Grant (Aid to Dependent Children)**

ADC is Nebraska's TANF program. For the child-only option:

- If you want benefits for the child only (not yourself): **your income is not counted**. The ADC grant is based on the child's income.

- If you want to include yourself in the grant as a non-parent needy caretaker: your income is then counted.

- Adults who receive ADC and are determined "work-eligible" must participate in **Employment First (EF)**, Nebraska's work and training program. If you receive only the child-only ADC (not included in the grant yourself), you are not subject to EF work requirements.

- The case record must verify and document the relationship between you and the child.

Eligibility factors: citizenship, Nebraska residency, income (child's), resources, cooperation with Child Support Enforcement.

Apply at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov. Find local DHHS offices at dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Public-Assistance-Offices.aspx.

**Medicaid for Children**

Medicaid for Children provides medical assistance to eligible low-income children in kinship care. The grandparent's income is counted only if the grandparent wants Medicaid for themselves. For the child only, eligibility is based on the child's income.

Eligibility: citizenship, Nebraska residency, SSN, age, living arrangement, child's income, cooperation with Child Support Enforcement, assignment of third-party resources (health insurance).

Medicaid covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.

Apply at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

SNAP is based on household composition, income, resources, and certain expenses. Benefits are placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit.

Apply at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov.

**Child Care Subsidy**

Nebraska's Child Care Subsidy helps with child care costs while the caregiver works, attends training or school, or participates in an approved activity.

**Important**: Unlike the ADC child-only grant, the Child Care Subsidy **does count the income of the relative or kin caregiver**. Apply at your local DHHS office; be prepared to provide your income documentation.

**Lifespan Respite**

Nebraska's Lifespan Respite program provides a break from providing ongoing care for a person with special needs. It serves caregivers who live with a person of any age with special needs -- including developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic illness, cognitive impairments, or situations at high risk of abuse and neglect. Income-based eligibility.

For grandparents caring for grandchildren with special needs, this is a named respite resource. Contact DHHS for information and income guidelines at dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Respite.aspx.

**WIC**

WIC provides healthy food, nutrition education, and community support for women who are pregnant or just had a baby, and for children under 5. Apply at signupwic.com or call a local WIC office. Those who already receive Medicaid or SNAP are automatically income-eligible for WIC.

**Social Security**

If the incarcerated parent was working before arrest, the grandchildren may be eligible for Social Security dependent benefits. Call 1-800-772-1213. SSI may be available for grandchildren with disabilities.

Nebraska's Two Kinship Navigation Programs

Nebraska DHHS names two specific Kinship Navigation programs directly on its kinship benefits page. Both are free. Both serve families regardless of child welfare involvement.

**Nebraska Children's Home Society (NCHS) Kinship Navigation Program**

- Phone: **1-888-315-7347**

- Website: nchs.org/kinship-navigation

- NCHS has deep roots in Nebraska family services and provides emotional, financial, legal, and physical resource guidance to kinship families.

**Lutheran Family Services KinCare**

- Phone: **1-833-572-2053**

- Website: lfsneb.org/service/lutheran-family-services-kincare

- LFS provides kinship care navigation and support services across Nebraska.

"No matter how you came to be caring for the child(ren) in your home, Kinship Navigation can guide you to the emotional, financial, legal, and physical resources your family needs." -- Nebraska DHHS.

Call either program. If one does not serve your area, they will refer you to the other or to additional resources.

Nebraska's Tribal Nations Context

Nebraska is home to several federally recognized tribes: the Omaha Tribe, the Winnebago Tribe (Ho-Chunk Nation), the Ponca Tribe, the Santee Sioux Nation, the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri, and others. Nebraska DHHS has a dedicated Indian Child Welfare page (dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Indian-Child-Welfare.aspx) and tribal liaisons.

Nebraska also provides Maintenance-of-Effort TANF funds to Nebraska Tribes for their own federally approved Tribal TANF programs providing cash payments to eligible families.

If you are a member of a Nebraska tribe, or if the grandchildren are enrolled tribal members, ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) applies when child welfare proceedings are opened. ICWA requires tribal notification and provides specific placement preferences for tribal children. Contact your tribal social services department and DHHS's tribal liaisons.

The School Question

With guardianship, a POA, or court-ordered custody, school enrollment is straightforward.

Without legal authority, use the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Schools must immediately enroll children who lack stable housing documentation, including children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison.

For children with IEPs, you will need legal authority or a signed parental authorization from the incarcerated parent to participate in planning meetings. NDCS facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

Get a notarized parental Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent through NDCS notary services. Contact the facility case manager.

Apply for Medicaid for Children at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov. Medicaid enrollment does not require legal authority -- it requires the child's identity and Nebraska residency documentation.

Nebraska's Geographic Reality

Nebraska stretches from the Missouri River on the eastern border to the Wyoming and Colorado borders in the west. Omaha and Lincoln dominate the eastern third; the rest of the state is increasingly rural as you travel west. The Sandhills (north-central) are among the most sparsely populated regions in the country. The Nebraska Panhandle (Scottsbluff area) is geographically and culturally closer to Wyoming than to Omaha.

Nebraska DOC (NDCS) facilities are concentrated in eastern Nebraska -- the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln, the Omaha Correctional Center, Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in southeast Nebraska. For most Nebraska families, visiting distance is manageable by national standards. But for families in the Panhandle or the Sandhills, Lincoln is 400+ miles east.

Phone calls through ICS Corrections / GTL are often the primary connection between western Nebraska families and incarcerated parents. You control which numbers are approved.

Both Kinship Navigation programs serve statewide. 2-1-1 Nebraska (dial 2-1-1 or ne.211.org) is the statewide information and referral line.

What She Is Carrying That He Cannot See

You did not plan for this stage of your life. The grandchildren arrived and with them came school forms, doctor appointments, someone to be home, someone to sit with a child who is afraid.

You are also carrying your feelings about your child who is incarcerated. Those feelings do not have to resolve. You can love your child and be furious. You can hope for the release and fear what comes next.

Nebraska's drug crisis -- methamphetamine in rural communities, opioids and fentanyl in urban areas -- has put Nebraska grandparents in exactly this situation at a scale the system was not built for. The incarceration that follows is not the end of the story. What happens during and after the sentence is what you will watch for evidence of.

The Kinship Navigation programs -- NCHS at 1-888-315-7347 and LFS at 1-833-572-2053 -- are staffed by people trained for this specific situation. Use them.

Talking to the Grandchildren About Where Their Parent Is

The children know something is wrong. Silence does not protect them.

Use honest, age-appropriate language. For a young child: "Your dad made a mistake and he has to stay somewhere else while he learns from it. You are safe and I am here." For an older child: "Your mom is in prison. She did something against the law and a judge decided she needs to be there for a while. She loves you. She is not in danger."

Do not make promises about when the parent will be home that you cannot keep. Let the children have their feelings. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways: photos, letters, phone calls.

Nebraska DOC phone calls go through ICS Corrections / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.

Nebraska Medicaid covers mental health services for children. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor for a referral or the child's Medicaid primary care provider.

Your Relationship With Your Incarcerated Child

Your feelings about your child are complicated. You are raising their children because they cannot. Both things are true.

What the grandchildren need: to see that you are not punishing their parent through them.

What you need: a place to hold the complicated feelings that is not in front of the grandchildren. The Kinship Navigation programs, a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Call NCHS Kinship Navigation at 1-888-315-7347 or Lutheran Family Services KinCare at 1-833-572-2053. Either one. They will help you understand what step comes next regardless of your custody situation.

Get a notarized Power of Attorney from the incarcerated parent through NDCS notary services. Contact the facility case manager.

Apply for ADC child-only grant, Medicaid for Children, and SNAP at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov. Your income is not counted for the child-only ADC grant. If applying also for yourself as a needy caretaker, your income is counted.

Apply for WIC at signupwic.com or your local WIC office if any grandchild is under 5.

If a grandchild has special needs, ask about the Lifespan Respite program at dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Respite.aspx.

Start the guardianship process. Contact Legal Aid of Nebraska (legalaidofnebraska.org) for free civil legal help if income-eligible.

If DHHS placed the children: ask your caseworker about foster care payments, licensing requirements, and the Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program.

If children are enrolled tribal members: contact your tribal social services department and ask DHHS about Indian Child Welfare (dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Indian-Child-Welfare.aspx).

Enroll the grandchildren in school. Use McKinney-Vento if needed.

Dial 2-1-1 (or ne.211.org) for local community resources in your specific county.

Take care of yourself. The Kinship Navigation programs are there. Call them.

FAQ

**What is the ADC child-only grant and does it count my income?** ADC is Nebraska's TANF program (Aid to Dependent Children). For the child-only grant, the grandparent's income is NOT counted -- only the child's income. If you want to include yourself in the ADC grant as a non-parent caretaker, your income is then counted. Apply at your local DHHS office or access.ne.gov.

**Does the Child Care Subsidy work the same way as the ADC child-only grant?** No. Unlike the ADC child-only grant (which does not count the caregiver's income), the Child Care Subsidy **does count the income of the relative or kin caregiver**. Verify income eligibility with your local DHHS office before applying.

**What are Nebraska's Kinship Navigation Programs?** Nebraska DHHS names two free Kinship Navigation programs: Nebraska Children's Home Society (NCHS) at 1-888-315-7347 (nchs.org/kinship-navigation) and Lutheran Family Services KinCare at 1-833-572-2053 (lfsneb.org/service/lutheran-family-services-kincare). Both serve families regardless of foster care or custody status and guide you to emotional, financial, legal, and physical resources.

**What is the Lifespan Respite program?** Nebraska's Lifespan Respite program provides caregiver breaks for those living with a person of any age with special needs -- including developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic illness, and cognitive impairments. Income-based eligibility. Information at dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Respite.aspx.

**What is Employment First (EF)?** Nebraska's work and training program for adults who receive ADC and are determined "work-eligible." If you receive only the ADC child-only grant (not included in the grant yourself), you are generally not subject to EF requirements. Verify your specific status with DHHS.

**Can I enroll my grandchildren in school without legal authority?** Yes. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, schools must immediately enroll children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. Ask the school district for its McKinney-Vento liaison. A POA from the incarcerated parent enables standard enrollment.

**How do I talk to the grandchildren about their parent being in prison?** Use honest, age-appropriate language without promises about when the parent will be home. Let the children have feelings. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, Nebraska DOC phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. Nebraska Medicaid covers children's mental health services; ask the school counselor or primary care provider for a referral if needed.

[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: Nebraska inmate search, send money, Nebraska reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Benefits-for-Kin-and-Relatives-Caring-for-Children-and-Youth.aspx (ADC grant payment dependent children home of relative conservator guardian; income counted only if grandparent wishes to be included ADC grant as non-parent needy caretaker; participation Employment First required adults receive ADC work-eligible; case record verification documentation relationship; eligibility citizenship Nebraska residency income resources cooperation Child Support Enforcement; legally appointed guardian or conservator appointed by court; Medicaid for Children medical assistance eligible low-income; grandparent income counted only if grandparent wants Medicaid themselves; child income needed; eligibility citizenship alien status Nebraska residency SSN age living arrangement income child cooperation CSE assignment third-party resources; SNAP household situations resources income expenses residency citizenship EBT card; Child Care Subsidy does count income of relative or kin caregiver; WIC healthy food nutrition education women pregnant baby children under 5; signupwic.com; Medicaid SNAP automatic income eligibility WIC; Lifespan Respite service caregiver break person special needs; special needs any age emotional behavioral cognitive physical condition necessitates care or supervision developmental disabilities physical disabilities chronic illness mental conditions supervision special health care needs cognitive impairments high risk abuse neglect; NCHS Kinship Navigation 1-888-315-7347 nchs.org/kinship-navigation; Lutheran Family Services KinCare 1-833-572-2053 lfsneb.org/service/lutheran-family-services-kincare; no matter how came to be caring kinship navigation guides emotional financial legal physical resources; Legal Aid of Nebraska legalaidofnebraska.org); dhhs.ne.gov Indian Child Welfare page tribes tribal liaisons; Nebraska TANF State Plan 2024 (ADC Nebraska TANF cash assistance; Employment First EF work program; Tribal TANF Nebraska provides MOE funds Nebraska Tribes federally approved Tribal TANF programs cash payments eligible families; SNAP EBT food purchasing; child care subsidy ADC families 100% FPL no cost; Lifespan Respite caregiver break special needs income eligible); dhhs.ne.gov 2025 TANF Expenditures Report (ADC Aid to Dependent Children direct payments low-income families; emergency assistance; Mommy and Me programs SSBG addiction mothers children residential treatment); grandfamilies.org Nebraska (Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program Nebraska; Legal Aid Nebraska legalaidofnebraska.org); NDCS ICS Corrections GTL phone; NDCS notary services; access.ne.gov Nebraska benefits portal; dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Public-Assistance-Offices.aspx local offices; dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Respite.aspx Lifespan Respite; dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Indian-Child-Welfare.aspx; legalaidofnebraska.org; 2-1-1 Nebraska ne.211.org; McKinney-Vento school enrollment; Social Security 1-800-772-1213. NOTE for Poorwa: verify ADC child-only grant Nebraska grandparent income not counted current dhhs.ne.gov; verify ADC as Nebraska TANF name current; verify NCHS Kinship Navigation 1-888-315-7347 nchs.org/kinship-navigation current; verify Lutheran Family Services KinCare 1-833-572-2053 lfsneb.org/service/lutheran-family-services-kincare current; verify Child Care Subsidy counts caregiver income still current; verify Lifespan Respite still Nebraska DHHS program dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Respite.aspx; verify Legal Aid of Nebraska legalaidofnebraska.org current; verify Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program Nebraska current; verify access.ne.gov Nebraska benefits portal current; verify DHHS Indian Child Welfare page dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Indian-Child-Welfare.aspx current; verify 2-1-1 Nebraska ne.211.org current; verify NDCS ICS Corrections GTL phone provider; verify Employment First EF Nebraska TANF work program current; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; len/character check before publish.]