Kinship Care in Michigan: The Case for More Support

As Advocates from the Michigan Kinship Care Coalition (MKCC) gathering for aLegislative Day in Lansing to address state lawmakers, host Matt Gillard talks totwo guests about the changes needed to assist more kinship parents in raisingchildren outside the formal foster care system. Joining him this month areStephanie Armendariz, senior policy analyst, Chapin Hall at the University ofChicago, and author of the new research brief, Diverting Children from Foster toKinship Care: The Issue and the Evidence; and, Deborah Frisbie, co-chair ofMKCC’s Policy & Advocacy Committee. The advocacy group Generations Unitedestimates that for every one child being raised by kin who are registered as formalfoster parents with government support and services, there are 18 kids beingraised by relatives under informal arrangements and absent necessary services.