Serving Kinship and Adoptive Families Statewide
OhioKAN is a flexible and responsive kinship and adoption navigator program designed to support children, youth and their families. Building on the premise that families are inherently capable of finding solutions to the circumstances and challenges they face, OhioKAN will take an inclusive, engaging, and genuine approach to strengthen families and their networks.
Learn more by visiting the OhioKAN webpage.
Background: In 2019, Kinnect convened stakeholders from throughout Ohio to design a statewide kinship and adoption navigator program. Our goal was to meet the needs of kinship and adoptive caregivers. We utilized the Implementation Science Approach to develop the framework. During Assessment, we reviewed research on ten national and statewide Kinship and Adoption Navigator programs. In addition, we surveyed caregivers and professionals in Ohio, and reviewed data about Ohio’s needs and available resources. Next, as part of Teaming, we convened stakeholders to develop a program recommendation and presented the initial design in town hall meetings throughout the state. Susequently, we considered stakeholder recommendations with requirements defined in Ohio Revised Code for the navigator program and Family First Act requirements during the Design phase.
The first phase of Implementation and Evaluation began in October 2019, and OhioKAN launched in 2020.
