For Practitioners

The OhioKAN program takes a holistic approach to supporting families by focusing on both needs at the family and community level. OhioKAN partners with families to strengthen their networks and connect them with programs and services that meet their unique needs. Practitioners serve both Kinship and Adoptive families by listening to their needs, developing a referral binder that is customized to those unique needs, and providing additional support to assist in navigating community resources and achieving goals determined by the family.

To create a hospitable context for the intervention, OhioKAN convenes local community-based advisory councils designed to support and reinforce the navigation services families receive. Cultivating a network of relationships focused on systems change benefits families by creating a more connected system of resources, services, and supports that is aware of the unique strengths and needs of kinship and adoptive families and is better equipped to meet their needs.

The list below includes key sections of the manual to support the practice of kinship and adoption navigation.