Maryellen Ryan, DC KinCare Alliance Community Organizing Specialist, Provides Testimony on Funding for Relative Caregiver Subsidy Programs

DC KinCare Alliance Community Organizing Specialist Maryellen Ryan urged the Council to fully fund the Grandparent Caregiver and Close Relative Caregiver Programs in accordance with the Increasing Support for Grandparent and Close Relative Caregivers Amendment Act of 2025. The testimony highlights the critical role kinship caregivers play in keeping children safe and stable, while also documenting the significant disparities between the financial supports and services available to children in foster care compared to children being raised by relatives outside the foster care system.