Project Healthy Grandparents

Message from Dean Susan Kelley

Director of Project Healthy Grandparents

Dear Friends,

Increasingly, the media is reporting on the phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that approximately 6.3% of U.S. children under 18 (4.5 million) are living in grandparent-headed households. This trend, which impacts families from all ethnicities, educational backgrounds, and economic levels, has serious implications for our society and our communities.

Due to advanced age, poor health, poverty, and lack of transportation, grandparent caregivers are often unable to provide their grandchildren with much beyond the vital necessities. The mission of Project Healthy Grandparents (PHG) is to strengthen intergenerational families by providing grandparents and grandchildren with health care services and improved access to community resources.

The College of Health and Human Sciences is committed to engaging in service activities that improve health and well-being within our community. As director of Project Healthy Grandparents and Dean of the College, I am proud of the fact that PHG has provided nursing, social work, and legal service referrals to more than 560 Atlanta families, including over 1280 children, since its inception in 1995. As a result of PHG’s success locally, the National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren was established at Georgia State University in 2002 to facilitate replication of the PHG model nationally.

The success of PHG would not be possible without the generous contributions we receive from individuals, grants, and Georgia State University. Thank you for your interest and support of this vital program.

Sincerely,
Susan J. Kelley, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences
Georgia State University