Grandparent Raising a Grandchild in DC: What to Do First

The First 72 Hours

A child just moved into your home. Maybe a parent entered treatment, was arrested, or simply left. The child needs to eat, sleep, and feel safe — and within days, you'll need to get them into school and to a doctor.

DC has a clear set of forms and programs for exactly this situation. Here's the order that matters.

Step 1: Get Medical Consent Authority

The child might need a doctor before school even comes up. If the parent is available and willing to cooperate, have them sign two documents:

• A Custodial Power of Attorney under D.C. Code § 21-2301, which delegates school enrollment, medical consent, and physical care authority in one document
• A Medical Consent Authorization under D.C. Code § 16-4901, which specifically authorizes you to consent to medical, dental, and mental health treatment

The CPOA covers both medical and school, so it's the more powerful document. Some caregivers get both — the CPOA for everyday use and the § 16-4901 form as a backup if a provider wants something specifically labeled as medical consent.

Notarization isn't legally required for either form, but it dramatically reduces pushback from schools and providers. Get both notarized if you can.

If the parent is unavailable — incarcerated, in treatment, deported, or missing — you may not be able to create a CPOA. A § 16-4901 medical authorization may also be signed by a legal guardian or legal custodian, so check whether one has that authority. Use the OSSE OPC pathway for school only if the caregiver meets the current form's serious-family-hardship requirements; emergency medical care without consent is limited to the delay standard in 22-B DCMR § 600.4.

Step 2: Enroll the Child in School

DC's OSSE Other Primary Caregiver (OPC) form lets you enroll a child in a public or charter school without a court order. You fill out the OPC form (download the current school year version from osse.dc.gov), the DC Residency Verification Form, and provide one of five accepted documents proving your caregiver status.

The 2026-27 OPC form lists these serious family hardships: active military assignment, serious illness, death, incarceration, separation from the child due to neglect or abuse, loss of habitability, abandonment, or deportation. Submit the completed packet directly to the enrolling school.

If you have a valid CPOA signed by the parent, it grants authority to enroll the child under D.C. Code § 21-2301. It does not replace residency verification: submit the current DC Residency Verification Form and applicable residency documents with either authority path.

If the school pushes back and demands a custody order, they're wrong. Schools may not require a court order when a caregiver qualifies under the OPC rules or presents a valid CPOA. Ask for a written denial and contact the OSSE Enrollment Audit Team at [email protected].

Step 3: Get the Child Health Coverage

Apply for DC Medicaid or the DC Health Care Alliance through the District Direct portal at districtdirect.dc.gov. You don't need a court order to apply for health coverage on behalf of a child in your care.

DC Medicaid covers eligible low-income children — pediatric visits, immunizations, dental, vision, mental health, prescriptions, and emergency care with no premium. The DC Health Care Alliance is a locally funded program for District residents who are not eligible for Medicaid, have no other health insurance, and meet its income rules.

Health insurance pays the bills, but it doesn't grant you consent authority. You still need the CPOA or § 16-4901 form to authorize treatment.

Step 4: Apply for Financial Help

The District offers financial support through several channels:

• Child-only TANF through DHS at District Direct — the caregiver's income generally isn't counted
• SNAP (food assistance) — apply at District Direct alongside TANF
• GCP or CRCP through CFSA — monthly subsidy for grandparents (GCP) or aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, and godparents (CRCP). Apply through the Kinship Navigator portal at kinshipdc.org or call 1-866-326-5461

GCP/CRCP eligibility requires household income under 300% of the federal poverty level (excluding SSI) and that the parent hasn't lived in your home for the previous six months, with exceptions.

Step 5: Know When Informal Authority Isn't Enough

The CPOA, OPC form, and medical consent authorization handle most daily needs. But they have limits. If a parent demands the child back despite active safety concerns, that situation requires a court order. For employer health insurance, check the plan's dependent-eligibility rules; DC Government's plan requires a court order as proof for the legal-custody category, while other dependent categories have separate documentation rules. A covered health-care provider must honor a conforming § 16-4901 authorization, so refusal of that authorization does not itself mean you need a court order.

The Family Court Self-Help Center at the Moultrie Courthouse (500 Indiana Avenue NW, Room JM-570) provides free walk-in guidance on filing for guardianship or third-party custody. Fee waivers are available for low-income caregivers.

Our DC School and Medical Consent Guide covers every form, every pathway, and every edge case in one place — from the CPOA and OPC form to standby guardianship, special education rights, and the court handoff.

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