Legal Lines: When Is Right Time to Adopt Relative?
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pages 2-6 ..................Opinion Merry Christmas - Happy New Year pages 9, 10, 11................Old News pages 7, 8 ..........................Weird News page 10.........SRDA Menu pages 21-23..................Health May The Clouds Never Burst & pages 13.............Finances page 20...............Social Security & You page 23..........Fremont/Salida Menu pages 27...........Light for the Journey The Son Always Find You! pages 16, 17...............Travel SeniorIF YOU ARE 50 OR OLDER YOUBeacon SHOULD READ IT!! SB Vol. 30: No. 5 Established Aug., 1982 353 Consecutive Months! DECEMBER, 2011 Legal Lines: When Is Right Time To Adopt Relative? by Sara Crocker-Communications relative’s care of the child), and kinship might be a better choice Question: I’ve been raising my grand- adoption (the child becomes a legal part for a family that cannot children. Is it in the best interests of of the family). qualify for benefits from the children to adopt them? The other way for a relative’s Human Services, or if the Answer: The circumstances child to come to live with you is on a final family unit would surrounding the adoption of grandchil- voluntary basis, which if adoption is have a hard time with dren, or children of other family mem- pursued, is a private kinship adoption. medical, food or housing ent to the child; and bers, are different than those of adopt- In a private kinship adoption, the child issues. Children with serious medical • The effect the adoption will ing a non-related newborn or child has not been taken from the home by issues, both physical and mental, could have on the child. through an adoption agency. There are Human Services and it has not provided benefit greatly if they were able to con- There are many reasons that basically two ways that grandparents, any benefits for the child, unless you tinue with Human Services benefits. the child may have come to you to be or other relatives, can adopt a child have personally met with Human Serv- Adoption is a permanent step. raised, such as the parent’s death, ma- they are raising. One way is for a Hu- ices to request them. There are benefits Biological parents lose all of their jor illness, incarceration, negligence or man Services Department to remove available for qualifying relatives when rights to the child in an adoption. Al- drug abuse. How you have come to be the child from the home for his or her raising a child that is not their own. The location of parental rights or, possibly, raising the child is an important con- benefit and have the child placed with benefits remain with the child through the appointment of a guardian would be sideration in determining whether the other relatives, including grandparents, allocation of parental rights and guardi- a better choice for a family where the best interest of the child is to adopt. or in foster care when relatives are not anship. However, if the child is adopted parent may be able to responsibly take Each child has his or her own special immediately available. Through foster in a private kinship adoption, the ben- over raising the child at some future needs, both physically and mentally, care, children are placed on medical and efits that have been set up with Human date. With allocation of parental rights and may be angry, hurt, mentally disa- other living benefits, which remain with Services are lost, unless the entire fam- or guardianship, the biological parent bled, depressed, experience feelings of the child through allocation of parental ily can qualify for those same benefits. retains the option to petition the court abandonment, or may adjust very well rights (a court hearing granting custody A private kinship adoption is to have their rights restored. due to the circumstances involved. In a of the child), guardianship (the court not always in the best interest of the Adoption might be a better so- number of cases, the biological parent supervises the welfare of child and the child. Allocation of parental rights lution in cases where the child will be will have some access to the child be- taken to other states or traveled with cause the care is provided by a family Winter Remembrance/Mercado while under your care. You must take a member. The amount of access a par- El Pueblo History Museum. look at the family unit and determine the ent will have needs to be considered on A significantly important event that is a part of El Pueblo trading post’s needs and best interests of the child. an individual basis, taking into account history (1842-1854) will be highlighted at the first “Winter Remembrance” lantern Some things to consider in your the child’s mental and physical health, lighting ceremony on December 9, Friday, beginning at 5:00 p.m. This ceremony decision to adopt are: as well as the influence the biological will recognize the trading post victims and the Native Americans who died in the • Health concerns and issues, parent may have over the child. 1854 Christmas attack by the Muache Utes. Following the ceremony, until 8:00 both physical and mental, of the child; All things in the lives of the p.m., the Winter Mercado will be held that teaches the lifeways of Pueblo’s first set- • The mental, physical and fi- child, grandparents or other relatives tlers who traded goods during an era of political and cultural conflict. nancial burden that the adoption will need to be brought into consideration in During the Mercado program, living-history interpreters will represent put on the existing family; the determination of whether adoption Mormon emigrants and trading post residents. These interpreters will bring alive a • The stability of the family in is in the child’s best interests. Adoption frontier evening. It is a time to fully engage the senses as one smells cooking in the general; is not a decision to enter into lightly or SEE ‘WINTER’ PAGE 17. ·• Access of the biological par- swiftly. Look at the family as a whole and determine your best option. The Colorado Bar Association Pueblo Zoo, 19th Annual ElectriCritters welcomes your questions on subjects of by Gloria Madrill-Pueblo Zoo day music adds general interest. The column is meant to ElectriCritters is a holiday light to the ambience. be used as general information. Consult show, which has become a Pueblo tradi- Warm up in the your own attorney for specifics. Send tion. For 23 nights, the Zoo glows with EcoCenter, with a questions to the CBA attn: Sara Crock- over 250,000 lights that brighten the cup of Hot Choco- er, 1900 Grant St., Suite 900, Denver, Holiday Season. It is a perfect holiday late at the Candy CO 80203 or email scrocker@cobar. outing for visiting family and friends. Cane Café, while org. watching the Pen- About Legal Lines guins swim and Legal Lines is a question and answer play. column provided as a public service And if by the Colorado Bar Association. At- you’re looking for old are free. torneys answer questions of interest to a great last minute gifts, family mem- Prices for Tickets (Purchased members of the public for their general berships can be purchased for $50 (at that evening after 4pm): Non-Mem- information. the Zoo or online or at www.pueblozoo. ber Adult $6, Non-Member Child $4, About the Colorado Bar Association org) and unique gifts can be found in Member Adult $4, Member Child $3, The Colorado Bar Associa- the Wild Things Gift Shop. All pro- and children under 3 years old are free. tion is a voluntary bar association with ceeds raised from the event, go towards Presented by: Wagner Rents nearly 18,000 members – almost three- the care and feeding of the Zoo’s over Sponsored by: Colorado Lot- quarters of all attorneys in the state 450 animals. tery, Pueblo Electrics, Black Hills Ener- – founded in 1897. The bar provides Dates: November 23, 25-27 gy, Parkview Medical Center, EVRAZ opportunities for continuing education, and December 2-4, 9-11, 16-23, 26-30 Rocky Mountain Steel, Ent, Pepsi, Ac- volunteering and networking for those Times: 5:30pm – 8:30pm (Last visitors counts Unlimited, The Pueblo Chief- in the legal profession while upholding admitted through the gate at 8:00pm) tain, KOAA 5, RMS Sign Company, the standards of the bar. The bar like- New Critter for 2011: Twenty-one foot and Thatcher Avenue Mini Storage. wise works to secure the efficient ad- long Animated Fire-Breathing Dragon The Pueblo Zoo is open from photo by Rick Avalos. ministration of justice, encourage the Prices for Advance Discount Tickets Labor Day to Memorial Day, Monday adoption of proper legislation and per- Visitors stroll through the Zoo where (Purchased during the day, before 4pm): through Saturday (9am-4pm) and Sun- petuate the history of the profession and they encounter live animals, as well as Non-Member Adult $5, Non-Member days (12pm - 4pm). For more informa- the memory of its members. For more 147 unique lighted animal sculptures Child $3, Member Adult $3, Member tion, call 561-1452 or visit www.pue- information, visit www.cobar.org. (many of them animated), while holi- Child $2, and children under 3 years blozoo.org. Join us on Facebook. Page 2 - Senior Beacon -Dec., 2011 Visit Us at http:// www.seniorbeacon.info Just Another Day At The Races by James R. Grasso, Chief Cook & Bottle Washer what Clinton and Bush did on this costs.” Observations From The Cave matter: “And in each instance when • On BHO blaming Republicans Here is some info for you to cogitate on during the New Year, 2012: the rate dropped, revenues from the tax for the stagnate economy columnist • “...hedge-fund managers are paying taxes at a lower rate than teachers increased: the government took in more Charles Krauthammer opines: “So what and firefighters.