My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Pennsylvania
I am 18 years old and I am thinking about trying to get custody of my 15 year old brother. I go to University in Canada but he lives in Pennsylvania. I know I can claim him as my "child" if I obtain custody, this means he could get a temporary resident visa and come live with me.
Here are the details of the situation. My brother has Aspergers, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD. He has always had a lot of issues and it seems no one cares enough to try to help him out completely. He has bounced around from his mother, father, and even grandparents. He has been kicked out of two schools and is currently in a psychiatric hospital. His father has told me he cannot take it anymore and is considering giving him back to my mother, who currently owns no parental rights. She has been in and out of prison for prostitution, grand theft auto, theft, drug use and possession, the list goes on. She has currently been out of the system for about a year and supposedly clean.
I believe his father would sign over his parental rights to me and I believe my brother would express to a judge that he would like to live with me. My only concern is my mother. She currently lives with her mother and has no job. I cannot figure out how anyone would consider her a fit mother.. but I have heard PA often sides with the biological mother.
My questions are.. would I be able to fight my mother for custody? Also, would I be able to receive child support from either parent? Are there any kind of government programs in the US or Canada that give money to a sibling taking care of another sibling? Or even money to a child that has problems like my brother?
I hope someone has some answers for me. Thanks for your time!

