Monday, April 11, 2011

CHANGING TIMES

Dear friends of Kinship care, The times they are a-changing, Bob Dylan wrote to us so many years ago. The times are indeed changing for me personally. This is the last blog on kinship care issues for awhile. I will keep the site up a few months so folks can access the archive. But updates will not be forthcoming. Therefore I implore any of you who follow this site to please look to your local resources for direction on your kinship concerns. Over the years we have developed many online and personal friendships concerning this vital issue. Some of those resources have a great deal to offer regionally. Please get on mailing lists, go to conferences or participate in webinars. These folks have been consistent with kinship concerns and are your friends as well as mine. Particularly: Michigan - Kinship Care Education Center, www.kinship.edu, e-mail kinship@msu.edu based at Michigan State University, the Center is working hard to make connections for Michigan caregivers and service providers statewide. Michigan folks should contact the center to get on the e-mail list, and participate in programs. Prevention Network www.preventionnetwork.org has on board the hardest working communicator, Luanne Beaudry. Luanne is specifically with the Parent Awareness Month Campaign that provides tons of material and contacts to fine resources for all parents, kinship caregivers, and those who work with families. Get on the mailing list and you will be surprised how much is available to strengthen families not only in Michigan, but nationally as well: pamcampaign@preventionnetwork.org Illinois - Barb Schwartz, Kinship director for the State of Illinois, DHS, is a bountiful servant to the kinship cause. She and her staff help make connections, provide programs, and general support to kinship caregivers and service providers. Get on this treasured mailing list: Barb.Schwartz@Illinois.gov Ohio - particularly northern Ohio grandparents raising grandchildren and other kinship care providers can find a plethora of resources and active support groups with the Area Office On Aging of Ohio. To receive their excellent newsletter, contact: aooa@areaofficeonaging.com Florida - Very special friends for central Florida kinship caregivers covering several counties is Kids Central INc. These folks have established a number of support groups, programs that extend to many concerns for kinship families and they put on a fantastic conference every year in September. Check the website for contacts: www.kidscentralinc.org Generations United is a strong advocate for intergenerational programs including kinship care. They also offer a great conference, webinars, and alerts for legislative information that affects kinship families. Study the website, then sign up for the newsletter alerts, better yet for a small membership cost you can join this special group - www.gu.org I am sorry to leave you at this point in the kinship care movement. You or your friends can still get the book, A Kinship Guide to Rescuing Children for Grandparents and Other Relatives As Parents from www.chicagoroadpublishing.com or from Amazon.com. Affectionately, Tita (Helene)