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Transforming beliefs, values, and actions to ensure permanent families for all children in the shortest time possible.
September is Kinship Care Month!
September is Kinship Care Month. At Kinnect, we have marked Kinship Month in a number of ways, through our social media, a guest column published around the state and a spotlight of our board member Kimberly Bell and her kinship connection. We know that children do better with family whether it be their biological family, or their family of choice such as lifelong family friends, teachers, coaches, or mentors. They remain connected to their culture and community, do better in school, and have fewer physical and mental health challenges. At Kinnect, we believe children have caring and capable extended families that are willing to support their kin when needed. With the right tools and engagement, families can remain united to support one another. 
Read Kimberly's spotlight
Kinnect's Kinship Care Month column appeared in the Richland Source and the Portsmouth Daily Times. The Advertiser-Tribune also did a feature on how Kinnect works to identify kin who can care for children and creates a network of connections in partnership with them. 
Read Lorie's spotlight
Kinnect is committed to developing partnerships that transform beliefs, values, and actions to achieve permanency for all children in the foster care system in the shortest time possible.  As part of this, the Kinnect to Family team attended the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) conference on September 19-21 and offered four workshops to children services professionals and service providers from around the state.
  1. Social Media Use in Child Welfare: Privacy, Protection, and Ethics in Engagement with Rick Dencer
  2. Partnering Creatively: Keeping Families in Recovery Together Through Intense Family Search and Engagement with Shelbe Brown, Malinda Hamm, and the Brown County Start Team
  3. Elevating the Role of Noncustodial Parents with Lorie Bricker, Donikea Austin, and Beth Stahl
  4. The Young and the Restless: Youth Engagement Strategies with Stephanie Beleal
Thanks to PCSAO for creating this learning opportunity. 

As part of the same focus on transforming beliefs, values and actions, Kinnect Executive Director Shannon Deinhart attended the Chapin Hall webinar on System Transformation through Community Leadership on September 21. You can view the webinar here. 
We are excited to expand our training program to continue enhancing kinship practice across the state.  The strategies from these sessions empower families and produce lasting results, connecting young people with their families, kin, culture, and communities. Our new series is open to anyone with an interest in family search and engagement or sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE). Sessions include: 
  • Leaning into Engagement of Fathers
  • Identifying System Barriers to Family Engagement
  • Unpacking the ‘No’
  • SOGIE 101
Find out more and register
OhioKAN's new Program Manual is up and running! Learn all about the offerings at OhioKAN, including the history of the program, the Theory of Change used to help families, and much more. 
Read the manual
For Kinship month, OhioKAN featured a story about a kinship family from Cincinnati. Ashleigh, already a mom of two, took in three of her nieces and nephews so they wouldn't end up in foster care. Read about her journey on the OhioKAN blog.
Read Ashleigh's story

PASSS
The PASSS program (Post Adoption Special Services Subsidy) is live on the OhioKAN website! Applications are officially open, and families can now apply online using the PASSS application portal. If you know a family who might be interested, visit the link below for more information or to request an application!  
Visit the PASSS page
Support our work
You can support our work when you use Amazon Smile: 
1. Sign into AmazonSmile.
2. Go to Your Account.
3. Select the option to Change Your Charity.
4. Select Kinnect as your charitable organization.
 
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1427 E. 36th St., Suite 4203F
Cleveland, OH 44114

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