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 download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 1.0
Target Population
AKSS is designed to serve kinship caregivers.
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.
| 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 |
| 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.
| 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.
The participant characteristics display is an initial version. We encourage those interested in providing feedback to send suggestions to preventionservices@abtglobal.com.
The table below displays locations, the year, and participant demographics for studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Participant characteristics for studies with more than one intervention versus comparison group pair that received moderate or high ratings are shown separately in the table. Please note, the information presented here uses terminology directly from the study documents, when available. Studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution that did not include relevant participant demographic information would not be represented in this table.
For more information on how Clearinghouse reviewers record the information in the table, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
| Characteristics of the Participants in the Studies with Moderate or High Ratings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Study Location
|
Study Year
|
Age or Grade-level
|
Race, Ethnicity, Nationality
|
Gender
|
Populations of Interest*
|
Household Socioeconomic Status
|
| Study 14208 - Arizona Kinship Support Services (AKSS) Kinship Navigation (KN) Program vs. Department of Child Safety (DCS) Services As Usual | ||||||
| Characteristics of the Children and Youth | ||||||
| Pima County, AZ, USA | 2012 | Average age: 7 years |
68% Other than White, Non-Hispanic 32% White, Non-Hispanic |
51% Male 49% Female |
100% Children in custody of Department of Child Safety (DCS) | 1% Child's birth family met the qualifying standards for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) |
“--” indicates information not reported in the study.
* The information about disabilities is based on initial coding. For more information on how the Clearinghouse recorded disability information for the initial release, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings. The Clearinghouse is currently seeking consultation from experts, including those with lived experience, and input from the public to enhance and improve the display.
Note: Citations for the documents associated with each 5-digit study number shown in the table can be found in the “Studies Reviewed” section below. Study settings and participant demographics are recorded for all studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Studies that did not report any information about setting or participant demographics are not displayed. For more information on how participant characteristics are recorded, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
Studies Rated Moderate
Study 14208Schmidt, 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
This study was conducted in a usual care or practice setting (Handbook Section 6.2.2)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).