Kinship care refers to a temporary or permanent living arrangement of youth with extended relatives or or non-relatives with whom they have a close relationship.

1.) Kinship Guardian Assistance Program: Program Connections to 21
Phone: (614) 466-1213
Email: kgapconnectionsto21@jfs.ohio.gov

Youth and young adults who left Ohio foster care to live with a kinship caregiver at age 16 or 17 are able to apply for benefits and services until the age of 21.

2.) Kinship Support Program (KSP)
Kinship care providers must apply through their county agency. This program provides financial payments to eligible kinship caregivers, based on a set rate per child (or teen) per day. Payments can be received monthly for up to 6 months.

3.) Kinship Permanency Incentive Program (KPIP)
Phone: (614) 275-2642
Email: kpi@fccs.us

Designed to provide supports for kinship caregivers who become permanent guardians, this program provides up to eight incentive payments. Eligibility criteria includes:

• A court must have awarded the kinship caregiver legal custody or guardianship of the child on or after July 1, 2005.
• A public children services agency must have conducted a home assessment and approved the child’s placement.
• The gross income of the caregiver’s family, including the child, may not exceed 300% of the federal poverty guidelines.

4.) Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN)
Phone: 1 (844) 644-6526
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 6:30 pm
OhioKAN is a free service for Ohio’s kinship and adoptive families. Navigators assist with benefits, basic needs, child and caregiver health, childcare, child social support, education, family functioning, financial services and legal questions.

5.) Ohio Grandparent / Kinship Coalition
Caregiver Hotline: (330) 737-7121

The Ohio Grandparent/Kinship Coalition (OGKC) is an organization consisting of kinship caregivers, advocates and agencies throughout Ohio. They provide a network system and link caregivers with services in their communities.

6.) Ohio Legal Help: Section for Kinship Caregivers

Ohio Legal Help, with sponsorship from the Supreme Court of Ohio federal Court Improvement Grant, has developed an interactive section of its website to help kinship caregivers navigate complex topics such as understanding the court process, enrolling children in school, getting medical care and other benefits.

The online tool also offers an interactive, step-by-step process to walk caregivers through developing their own action plan, which includes benefits and resources available to the child.

For example, when it comes to Ohio Medicaid and their hotline, 1 (800) 324-8680, in situations when Children Services holds custody of the young person in kinship care, they will apply for Medicaid for the child or teen.