Arizona Kinship Support Services

Arizona Kinship Support Services (AKSS) is designed for kinship caregivers. AKSS aims to support kinship families by addressing the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in formal and informal kinship care.

All AKSS services are voluntary and based on the needs of the kinship family. Kinship Navigators provide Information, Referral, and Connection (IRC) services to all families, which includes collection of demographics and needs information, and referrals to community services and resources. Depending on the family’s needs, referrals and resources may include food, health services, behavioral health services, clothing and household goods, parenting classes, support groups, employment services, domestic violence support, housing, and specific resources for seniors age 55 and older.

Upon completion of the IRC screening process, together the family and Kinship Navigator determine whether the family needs more intensive navigation services. Navigation services begin with a family assessment, followed by service planning and monitoring. Kinship Navigators help families achieve their goals, including accessing benefits, obtaining legal services, and navigating existing community support systems.

AKSS coordinates and connects families with other family support services, including guardianship clinics, kinship information and permanency sessions, adoption or guardianship training, support groups, the Children of Incarcerated Parents program, education on topics identified by caregivers, and family recreational events. Services end when the family and Kinship Navigator determine that the family has met their goals, or another mutually agreed upon reason.

AKSS is rated as a supported practice because at least one study carried out in a usual care or practice setting achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution and demonstrated a sustained favorable effect of at least 6 months beyond the end of treatment on at least one target outcome.

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Sep 2022

Sources

The program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information were informed by the following sources: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, and the studies reviewed.

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.

Target Population

AKSS is designed to serve kinship caregivers.

Program or Service Delivery and Implementation

Dosage

Duration and intensity of services depends on the needs of the kinship family, ranging from 3 months to 2 years.

Location/Delivery Setting

Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings

AKSS is delivered in community settings and participants’ homes.

Location/Delivery Settings Observed in the Research

Home
Community Center (e.g., religious or recreational facility)

Education, Certifications and Training

Kinship Navigators deliver AKSS. Program implementation also requires a program director, program coordinator, childcare worker, special services instructor, and an office manager. Kinship Navigators must have at least a bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, or a related field and at least 1 year of experience working in social services, education, or a related field. The program director must have a master’s degree in social work or a related field, at least 5 years of experience in behavioral health, and at least 2 years of experience in a supervisory role. The program coordinator must have at least a bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field and 3 years of experience working in behavioral health. Childcare workers must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and at least 1 year of experience working in behavioral health. The special services instructor must be age 21 or older, have at least a high school diploma or equivalent (preferably a bachelor’s degree), and at least 1 year of experience in special services. The office manager must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, at least 5 years of office management experience, and at least 2 years of experience in a supervisory position.

All staff must complete a new employee orientation within 7 days of hire and a program-specific orientation within 30 days of hire. These two orientations teach staff about the dynamics of kinship care, how to support families, and how AKSS is implemented. Staff are encouraged to attend trainings in relevant professional development topics such as empathic listening and understanding and navigating the local child welfare system.

Program or Service Documentation

Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review

Schmidt, M. C., & Treinen, J. (2017). Program implementation manual for Arizona Kinship Support Services: Kinship navigator program. Arizona’s Children Association; LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc.

Available languages

AKSS materials are available in English. AKSS services are provided in English and Spanish.

For More Information

Website: https://www.arizonaschildren.org/kinship/

Phone: (480) 748-9269

Email: Kinship@arizonaschildren.org

Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Extent of Evidence

Results of Search and Review	Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Arizona Kinship Support Services
Identified in Search	2
Eligible for Review	1
Rated High	0
Rated Moderate	1
Rated Low	0
Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm	0

Summary of Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings
Child permanency: Least restrictive placement	0.15 5	1 (1)	11294	Favorable: 1 No Effect: 0 Unfavorable: 0
Child permanency: Planned permanent exits	0.32 12	1 (1)	11294	Favorable: 1 No Effect: 0 Unfavorable: 0

Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group.

Individual Study Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings	Months after treatment when outcome measured
Child permanency: Least restrictive placement	0.15 5	1 (1)	11294	Favorable: 1 No Effect: 0 Unfavorable: 0	-
Study 14208 - Arizona Kinship Support Services (AKSS) Kinship Navigation (KN) Program vs. Department of Child Safety (DCS) Services As Usual (Schmidt, 2021)
In Kinship Care at the End of Most Recent Department of Child Services Custody Case	0.15 * 5	-	11294	-	9
Child permanency: Planned permanent exits	0.32 12	1 (1)	11294	Favorable: 1 No Effect: 0 Unfavorable: 0	-
Study 14208 - Arizona Kinship Support Services (AKSS) Kinship Navigation (KN) Program vs. Department of Child Safety (DCS) Services As Usual (Schmidt, 2021)
Permanent Placement Status of Reunification, Guardianship, or Adoption at the End of Most Recent Department of Child Services Custody Case	0.32 * 12	-	11294	-	9

*p <.05

Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications.

Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.

Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.

Studies Reviewed

Sometimes study results are reported in more than one document, or a single document reports results from multiple studies. Studies are identified below by their Prevention Services Clearinghouse study identification numbers. To receive a rating of supported or well-supported, the favorable evidence for a program or service must have been obtained from research conducted in a usual care or practice setting.

Studies Rated Moderate

Study 14208

Schmidt, M. C., & Treinen, J. (2021). Outcomes of the Arizona Kinship Support Services: Impact of kinship navigation on child permanency outcomes. LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. https://www.arizonaschildren.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/AKSS_KinshipNavigation_QEDStudyReport_Final_Aug2021.pdf

Studies Not Eligible for Review

Study 14368

LeCroy & Milligan Associates, Inc. (2015). Arizona Kinship Support Services: Final progress report October 2012-September 2015. http://lecroymilligan-webinar.com/data/resources/b-05-azknkn-tanfjbafinal-evaluation-reportfinal12-31-2015-1.pdf

Schmidt, M. C., & Treinen, J. (2017). Using kinship navigation services to support the family resource needs, caregiver self-efficacy, and placement stability of children in informal and formal kinship care. Child Welfare, 95(4), 69-89.

This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible study design (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.4).