Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP)
About RAPP
In October 1991, the Foundation funded the University of California-Berkeley to survey the nature and extent of services for grandparent caregivers in the United States. In 1993, we provided support for the establishment of the AARP Grandparent Information Center, which provides resources and information on issues confronted by grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and the professionals who assist them.
The Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) was initiated in 1996. It is designed to encourage and promote the creation or expansion of services for grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting due to the absence of the parents.
Currently RAPP provides extensive services, primarily to relative caregivers caring for children outside the foster care system, in 44 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As part of our sponsorship of RAPP, we conduct our National Orientation and Training Conference and provide technical assistance through site bulletins, a listserv, our annual newsletter, conference calls and webchats to facilitate opportunities for networking and information exchange.
RAPP Resources
RAPP Reporters (Annual newsletter)
RAPP Publications, Multimedia and Brainstorming Sessions
Helpful National and State Links
Relatives as Parents: Local and State Programs
For more information contact
Melinda Perez-Porter, Director, Relatives As Parents Program, mpp@brookdalefoundation.org