Vermont Area Agency on Aging Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

If you are 55 or older and raising a grandchild or relative's child in Vermont, your regional Area Agency on Aging can connect you with local support — and most kinship grandparents never hear about it. In Central Vermont, the Central Vermont Council on Aging also offers a respite program specifically for kinship caregivers.

Title III-E: The National Family Caregiver Support Program

Title III-E of the Older Americans Act funds services for grandparents and relative caregivers aged 55 or older who are raising a child under 18 or caring for an adult age 18 to 59 with a disability. In Vermont, these funds flow through the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) and are administered by regional Area Agencies on Aging.

The services include:

• Caregiver case management — an aging services coordinator who helps you navigate benefit applications, find local programs, and connect with support
• Respite support — your local AAA may help pay for child care, after-school programs, or summer camp; CVCOA's Central Vermont Kinship Respite Program serves primary guardians age 55 and older and may also help with youth activities and extracurricular fees or equipment
• Support groups and training — peer connection with other kinship grandparents, plus workshops on topics like managing a child's behavioral health needs

These services do not replace Reach Up Child Only or 3SquaresVT — they layer on top. Ask your local AAA which caregiver services are available in your area.

Vermont's Five Area Agencies on Aging

Vermont has five regional AAAs, with service areas that include county and town exceptions:

• Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) — Lamoille, Orange, and Washington Counties except Thetford, plus Bethel, Hancock, Granville, Pittsfield, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, and Stockbridge. Phone: (802) 477-1364.
• Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging — Bennington and Rutland Counties except Pittsfield, Winhall, Readsboro, and Searsburg.
• Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging — Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties.
• Senior Solutions — Windham and Windsor Counties except Bethel, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, and Stockbridge; includes Readsboro, Searsburg, Thetford, and Winhall.
• Age Well — Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties except Granville and Hancock.

If you are unsure which AAA serves your area, start with the Senior Helpline at 1-800-642-5119. They will route you to the right regional office.

Vermont 211: The First Phone Call

Dial 211 (or 1-866-652-4636) for Vermont's statewide information and referral service. The 211 specialists maintain a database of local resources including food pantries, emergency fuel help, housing assistance, and kinship caregiver programs. They can connect you to your AAA, community action agency, or VKAP (Vermont Kin as Parents) in a single call.

211 is available 24 hours a day. If you are caring for a child who arrived suddenly and you do not know where to start, this is a good first call.

What These Services Cannot Do

AAA coordinators and 211 specialists provide navigation and referral, and can help you find application support. The agency administering each program makes its eligibility decisions: contact ESD for Reach Up, 3SquaresVT, and fuel assistance; Vermont Health Connect for Dr. Dynasaur; and your local community child care support agency for CCFAP. For free civil legal help, contact Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont at 1-800-889-2047.

The value of the AAA connection is having a person who knows the local landscape and can help you prioritize applications. Several programs can be started in parallel, so you do not need to wait for one approval before applying for another.

Our Vermont Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a complete directory of free help contacts organized by region, plus application steps for each program.

See more Vermont guides →