Name: Caring Communities Demonstration Project
Target Population: Children in the child welfare system and the kin caregivers with whom they reside.
Geographical Area: Clark County, Nevada
Summary: The goal of the initiative is to use a community-based systems of care approach to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children living with kin caregivers. The objectives are to:
- Increase placements of children with kin when they must be removed from their homes
- Increase the safety of children living with kin
- Improve physical and mental health of children living with kin
- Increase stability of placements with kin
- Increase timely permanency for children living with kin
- Increase the capacity of kin caregivers to care for the children living with them
Child and family needs will be addressed more effectively by conducting early assessments; involving parents and kin in developing case plans that identify both a primary and alternate permanency plan; and linking children, families, and kin caregivers to culturally and linguistically competent community-based services. Kin care coordinators will be located at each of five community-based neighborhood family service centers. They will recruit, train, and sustain a culturally and linguistically diverse network of volunteer kin care mentors, who have prior experience as caregivers, to provide home-based support to new caregivers. They will also help mentors facilitate orientation and support groups for kin caregivers. Child welfare workers, kin care coordinators, project partners, and community providers will receive training in strengths-based systems of care, wraparound approaches, and culturally and linguistically competent practices.
For more information:
Tiffany L. Hesser
Caring Communities Project Coordinator
Phone: 702.455.0775
Email: HesserTi@co.clark.nv.us