The Network Connection

The Important Role of Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American Aging Programs in Serving Kinship/ Grandfamilies: Research, Resources, and Strategies for Success

Wednesday, January 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET

Presenters

• Leland Kiang, the program manager at USAging overseeing USAging’s role in the Network
• Ana Beltran, the director of the Network
• Arcelia Armstrong, LSW, Coordinator, Caregiver Support Program and Kinship Navigator Program, Area Office of Aging of Northwestern Ohio
• Criss Grant, Director, Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability
• Pam Plimpton, Intergenerational Coordinator, County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Aging & Independence Services
• Marsha Rose, LSW, Kinship Navigator Program Supervisor, Area Office of Aging of Northwestern Ohio

You won’t want to miss this webinar! An attendee at our last webinar called it “one of the best and most insightful trainings I have been to since starting my navigator role 2 years ago.”

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands GrandFacts Facts Sheets

The GrandFacts Fact Sheets for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands join fact sheets for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the nation as a whole. Each fact sheet includes data as well as information about programs and public benefits. All of the fact sheets are available in English and Spanish.

Home for the Holidays:

Staying Connected

This is the first in a new series of monthly mini resources produced by the Network, under the leadership of our partners at ZERO TO THREE. The resources will all be short (this one is two pages) and, in alternating months, they will be geared toward either families or professionals. This month’s resource, which focuses on reducing caregiver feelings of isolation, is intended to serve as a useful tool that you can provide to the families with whom you work. The resource is available in both English and Spanish.

Generations United is Accepting Presentation Proposals for Upcoming Conference

Please save the date for Generations United’s in-person conference, which will take place July 26-28, 2023. The conference will convene intergenerational and kinship/grandfamilies professionals, educators, caregivers, advocates, and enthusiasts from around the world in Washington, DC to learn, connect, and share innovative practices and programs in the field.

Generations United is accepting presentation proposals! The Conference Planning Committee seeks proposals for educational sessions that will enhance the field’s capacity for developing practices, programs, and policies that benefit individuals of all ages, support kinship and grandfamilies, and build more cohesive and caring communities around the world. Download the session guidelines and instructions (a Word document) for more information, including a template of the online form. The submission deadline is January 30, 2023. All submissions must be completed online.

State of American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Families Report

National Indian Child Welfare Association

The State of American Indian and Alaska Native Children and Families Report is a six-part series of data briefs that presents current data on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) child and family well-being. Each data brief covers an aspect of well-being data, including economic indicators, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child welfare system involvement, mortality rates and causes, and behavioral health and substance use. These data briefs are followed by a set of proposed questions for future directions in policy, practice, and research. This report is funded by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

Gathering and Using Family Input to Improve Child Support and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Services: Approaches from the Human Services Field

Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation in the Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This 16-page brief focuses on engaging families during the program improvement process. It includes key findings from a scan of related literature as well as findings and examples from discussions with practitioners who are already gathering and implementing suggestions from families in their state, local, and tribal agencies. In addition to offering insights into organizational processes, the brief considers trust-building with families.

Profile of Older Americans

Administration for Community Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Profile of Older Americans is an annual summary of critical statistics related to the older population in the United States. Relying primarily on data offered by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Profile illustrates the shifting demographics of Americans age 65 and older. It includes key topic areas such as income, living arrangements, education, and health. The latest Profile, labeled the 2021 Profile, includes a special section on family caregiving.

The “Profile Highlights” page notes that “[i]n 2020, about 1.1 million people aged 60+ were responsible for the basic needs of at least one grandchild under age 18 living with them.” On page 20, the Profile provides additional demographic data about these caregivers.

National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The National Guidelines for Child and Youth Behavioral Health Crisis Care offers best practices, implementation strategies, and practical guidance for the design and development of services that meet the needs of children, youth, and their families during a young person’s behavioral health crisis. Additional technical guidance is provided in a companion report produced by SAMHSA in conjunction with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, "A Safe Place to Be: Crisis Stabilization Services and Other Supports for Children and Youth."