Casey Family Programs

Children do better with family, in whatever form that takes — grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, older siblings or best friends. Kinship care allows children separated from their parents to know their family and remain a part of the community and culture they were born into.

See how kinship care has made a difference in Dover, Ohio, through Kinnect to Family.

Knowing your roots Read about how Kinnect worked to place Theo with fictive kin; now he’s in a stable, loving home while connected to his siblings and extended family.

Every day, millions of parents in recovery from substance use disorders show that healing is possible and that families can thrive.

Children of parents with substance use disorders face higher risks of emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems, as well as family instability and poorer social and academic outcomes. See how family-based residential treatment is removing barriers to care and resulting in positive child welfare outcomes. https://bit.ly/46i0cST

How do family-based residential treatment programs help reduce substance use and improve child welfare outcomes? How a family-centered approach to substance can benefit families.

The Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) Program in California works as an alternative to traditional foster care, placing children with relatives, who are in turn supported with a monthly stipend to help cover expenses.

That’s how Brenda Checklenis is able to be the primary caregiver for her granddaughter, Bristol, along with a support team to manage Bristol’s complex medical needs. See Kin-GAP in action here. https://bit.ly/4xdQRGI

Support means Bristol can stay with family Thanks to support provided by the state of California, Bristol was able to receive specialized care from her grandmother after being separated from her mother. Learn about the difference made by kinship care.

In the child welfare system, the word “permanency” is used to describe a legally permanent, stable living situation — ideally one in which family, culture and community connections are preserved. But there are many definitions when it comes to permanency based on how foster youth experienced the child welfare system.

Learn from lived experts who shared their perspectives on the meaning of permanency and how systems can support family stability and a sense of belonging beyond case closure. https://bit.ly/4gXD1lM

How do individuals with lived experience of child welfare define permanency? Lived experts offer insights on permanency and recommend strategies aimed at strengthening children’s connection to family.

September is National Kinship Care Month, a time to celebrate family members and fictive kin who provide kinship care for children and youth.

Kinship care can help maintain family connections, minimize the trauma of out-of-home care and encourage family reunification. Casey Family Programs has collected a wealth of research and data showing the power of kinship care. Explore our resources to learn more.

The power of kinship care Casey Family Programs has a curated collection of resources and stories around agencies designing and implementing kin-first practices. Learn more.

Computers and internet access should be considered basic needs for youth and families. However, access to essential technology and broadband internet is still uneven, particularly for those involved in the child welfare system.

See some strategies that are working to bridge this divide.

Technology Resources List – Casey Family Programs These listings include resources to help connect youth in foster care and their families with needed technology, including devices and broadband access.

Leaving foster care can be abrupt and demanding for young people who exit without finding permanency through family reunification, adoption, or guardianship. The 9% who age out are expected to quickly take on adult responsibilities — too often with little preparation and few, if any, supports.

Learn more about what matters most as youth prepare to exit foster care and explore ideas and solutions to ensure the needs of youth are met during this critical transition period. https://bit.ly/3S6dz4Y

Transition-age Youth – Casey Family Programs How can youth aging out of foster care be better supported?

The NYC Administration for Children's Services- ACS has a decades-long history of providing a broad array of supports aimed at keeping families safely together. That work continues, as ACS has expanded access to services, created required mandated reporter training for all ACS partners and more.

Read more to see the results, including fewer family separations and foster care placements.

Evolving Family Services – Casey Family Programs NYC is addressing child safety by creating pathways for families to receive support outside of traditional child welfare system referrals.

In this final brief of our series, hear from experts and those with lived experience to learn more about collaboration strategies that have been successful in advancing culturally informed behavioral health approaches in Tribal communities.

Casey Family Programs is proud to partner with Center for Health Care Strategies on this series about the collaboration between child welfare, Medicaid and Tribal health systems to provide crucial care for Tribal families across the country. Read more: https://bit.ly/4vsSMq6

Collaboration Strategies – Casey Family Programs Prioritizing holistic approaches that connect health care and culture

In this second of three briefs, we look at three programs that illustrate a variety of Tribal behavioral health programs and explore a spectrum of partnerships between Tribal programs and Medicaid.

Casey Family Programs is proud to partner with Center for Health Care Strategies on this series about the collaboration between child welfare, Medicaid and Tribal health systems to provide crucial care for Tribal families across the country. Read more: https://bit.ly/4vmUpp2

Tribal Behavioral Health – Casey Family Programs Learn how different tribal behavioral health programs help Native children