WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp announced that the bipartisan government spending bill signed into law today includes $20 million she pushed for to help children remain in the care of a family member when a parent is unable to remain their guardian.

Circumstances like a parent addicted to drugs often leave children in the care of a relative like a grandparent, a setup often called kinship care. According to the U.S. Census, approximately 2.5 million children live with these caregivers without either of their parents in the home.

Heitkamp and U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) recently introduced the Supporting Kinship Connections Act to provide funding for states to help kinship caregivers navigate the transition to taking care of a child, including learning about access to health and mental health services, financial and legal assistance, substance abuse prevention and treatment, housing, support groups, and other services. These programs can make a huge difference for caregivers, enabling them to provide the best support for the children they are caring for. Because of Heitkamp’s bipartisan push, $20 million in federal funding for state-based Kinship Navigator Programs was included in the government funding agreement, and they’ll continue pushing for additional funding in future fiscal years. North Dakota currently does not have a statewide program to support kinship caregivers, and the state will be able to apply to use these funds to set up such a program.

“When a parent isn’t able to care for a child, having another caregiver like a grandparent step in to fill that role can prevent damaging trauma and stress for the child, making them heroes to the kids they care for,” Heitkamp said. “Our bipartisan legislation to help kinship caregivers access programs to ease their transition to guardianship and help them manage the many challenges and responsibilities that come with their important role in a child’s life. The federal funding we were able to secure is exciting news for kids and caregivers in North Dakota who rely on these services, and I’ll continue this bipartisan push to help connect kinship caregivers with every resource available to help them protect some of the most vulnerable kids in our communities.”

“It’s a tragic situation any time a parent is unable to care for their child for any amount of time, and in many cases the next best thing for that child is to be cared for by a loving family member,” said Chip Ammerman, Cass County Social Services Director. “This effort by Senator Heitkamp will help children stay in a Family home that may reduce additional trauma associated with entering the foster system.”

Click here to read a summary of the Supporting Kinship Connections Act, which builds on Heitkamp’s work to help address and mitigate the detrimental impact exposure to trauma can have on children and families. Last year, she introduced legislation to provide a more trauma-informed supportive law enforcement, health service, and workforce network that children and families, particularly those in tribal communities, need for healthy growth and development.

According to a 2015 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) study, 58 percent of all American children had witnessed or been a victim of crime in the previous year. Studies have shown that when children experience multiple traumatic experiences, like violence, abuse, neglect, or trafficking, it can lead to a lifetime of negative impacts including higher risk for heart disease and lung cancer, as well as suicide.

“Every child deserves a loving, protective home, but many children face trauma and hardship when their parents are unable to fully provide for their needs,” Nancy McKenzie, Executive Director, PATH ND. “In these cases, another family member may be able to provide the support necessary to care for at-risk kids, but they often face barriers to accessing the programs and resources available to ensure a child is able to remain with a family caregiver. That’s why Kinship Navigator Programs are so beneficial – by helping family members care for a child, they decrease the risk of that child entering the foster care program and increase the likelihood of that child overcoming the stress they face when a parent is unable to fully provide for their care. Senator Heitkamp’s bipartisan legislation would help programs like PATH ND ensure more kids in North Dakota are able to successfully remain in the loving home they deserve.”

Other groups endorsing the Supporting Kinship Connections Act include Generations United, Futures Without Violence, Family Focused Treatment Association, National Association of Social Workers, National Alliance of Children’s Trust & Prevention Funds, and the American Psychological Association.

“Children who face trauma early in life can face lifelong challenges that are often difficult to overcome,” said Barbara A. Bentz, a pediatrician with Sanford Health. “When a parent loses the ability to care for a child, the next best thing is often for that child to be taken under the wing of another family member. Senator Heitkamp has been a strong leader and partner in the effort to tackle issues of childhood trauma and to support kinship care. The new federal funding she was able to secure will help children in North Dakota and across the country remain in the loving care of their families and give them the stability they need to overcome hardship and reach their full potential.”

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