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<p>KINGSTON &#8212; U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta said Tuesday the country&#8217;s social services network is antiquated and changes need to come to help people like grandparents raising grandchildren born to addicted parents.</p><p>Barletta, R-Hazleton, met with a few grandparents in the office of attorney David Saba to discuss what can be done to provide financial help for grandparents with limited resources to assure their grandchildren are provided a safe care plan.</p><p>&#8220;I want to help,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;We have to do more to help these grandparents and their grandchildren, many who were born addicted through no fault of their own.&#8221;</p><p>Saba and his wife, Brenda, are raising their 9-year-old grandson, Tanner, who they adopted in 2014. The Sabas previously told their story at a meeting of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in October 2014. Dave Saba, 67, said Tanner&#8217;s parents were addicted to drugs and after several interventions and failed rehab stays &#8212; including jail time &#8212; Saba and his wife knew what had to be done.</p><p>Following a family meeting with Tanner&#8217;s biological father and grandparents, the Sabas sought and were granted custody of Tanner. They said when they were faced with the reality of a difficult situation, they did what they had to do.</p><p>Brenda Saba said her situation is not unusual, and there are many others in Luzerne County faced with the same task of raising grandchildren. She said in 2014 in Luzerne County, there were 2,000 custody filings &#8212; 60 percent of them filed by grandparents seeking custody of grandchildren. Many of those cases, Saba said, involved drug-addicted parents.</p><p>The congressman said he is aware of the problem, noting he has seen statistics that show a baby is born addicted to drugs every 25 minutes. Barletta said he has worked hard to see that those infants are cared for, and people addicted to drugs need to be treated, not incarcerated.</p><p>&#8220;Addiction is an illness and it must be treated,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;And babies must be taken from their addicted mothers and placed with people who will care for them.&#8221;</p><p>However, Saba said, many grandparents are on fixed incomes and not eligible for benefits to care for young children. Barletta said he will discuss the situation with U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.</p><p>&#8220;These situations have changed family dynamics,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;The family structure has been re-structured.&#8221;</p><p>Saba said the financial demands of raising a child have restricted her and her husband&#8217;s lifestyle and delayed his retirement from his legal practice.</p><p>Barletta was a member of the conference committee that worked out the differences between House and Senate versions of a new, sweeping approach to combating the opioid epidemic &#8211; a package which contains his own bill that specifically protects addicted newborns and their caregivers.</p><p>The legislation combines educational and prevention programs, enhanced treatment and increased law enforcement efforts to provide a comprehensive approach to the expanding problem of opioid abuse. The House and Senate approved the legislation and President Obama has signed it into law.</p><p>On Thursday, Barletta will co-host a forum in Central Pennsylvania to discuss the growing opioid epidemic facing the state&#8217;s communities, as well as the efforts underway to combat the problem. The forum is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center at Harrisburg Area Community College.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">U.S. Rep Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, met with grandparents raising their grandchildren who are dealing with children and opioid addiction at the Law Office of David Saba in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL081716Barletta2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>U.S. Rep Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, met with grandparents raising their grandchildren who are dealing with children and opioid addiction at the Law Office of David Saba in Kingston. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL081716Barletta1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, met with grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and dealing with children and opioid addiction at the Law Office of David Saba. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL081716Barletta1-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, met with grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and dealing with children and opioid addiction at the Law Office of David Saba. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Barletta seeks help for grandparents raising children of addicted parents</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Barletta seeks aid for grandparents raising children of addicted parents