Overview
One of the goals of the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center (Network) is to demonstrate measurable increases in the number of identified exemplary kinship/grandfamilies policies, practices, and programs implemented by state, tribal, and territorial agencies, and community-based organizations.
To support that goal, Network staff, partners, and subject matter experts will review and select kinship/grandfamilies policies, practices, and programs that support critical systems serving these families, including aging, child welfare, disability, education, housing, Medicaid and Medicare, nutrition, and TANF.
We will create tools to replicate and widely promote these policies, practices, and programs to help you and the families you serve. We will consider policies, practices, and programs that have anecdotal or empirical evidence as well as those with characteristics associated with effectiveness. These may include those that are adapted from evidence-based programs to reflect cultural or geographical differences.
Those that will be identified as exemplary may focus on a distinct policy, practice, or program, including a culturally based or culturally specific program. Or, it may incorporate elements of multiple policies, practices, and programs. Exemplary efforts that promote cross-system collaboration on behalf of kinship/grandfamilies are of particular interest in our work.
The goal is to designate at least 25 kinship/grandfamilies policies, practices, and programs as “exemplary” by 2024 (year three of the Network’s federal cooperative agreement with the Administration for Community Living). Our website will house this list and the relevant resources that will be developed.
