The Center for Human Services receives a grant from the New York State Kinship Navigator program to evaluate an intervention for kinship caregivers (e.g. grandparent or relative caregivers).

In October of 2018, the Center for Human Services received a grant from the New York State Kinship Navigator program to evaluate an intervention for kinship caregivers (e.g. grandparent or relative caregivers). The goal of the Kinship Navigator intervention is to foster family stability, safety, well-being, and permanency for youth in kinship care.

While the full intervention is still being formulated, it will consist of the enhancement of the state-wide Kinship Navigator program. Kinship caregivers can contact the Kinship Navigator program to receive information about financial and legal assistance, as well as other support services available in their communities. Additionally, local case management services and peer-to-peer support services will be delivered to kinship families within six counties of New York State.

Evaluation & Research

The study will consist of a formative evaluation, which will examine program operations, data collection capacity, and options for drawing a comparison group. A process evaluation will be conducted to determine the extent to which services are being delivered as designed, and to develop knowledge about implementation that can foster future replication. The process evaluation will assess if and how the Kinship Navigator program is changing child welfare practice; how various kinship stakeholders are collaborating; and factors that are facilitating or impeding successful implementation. Finally, an outcome evaluation will be conducted to assess program impacts on key child and caregiver outcomes, including child well-being, family stress, and child permanency.

For more information, contact Margaret Gullick,Ph.D.