A house RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR KINDRED HEARTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THEIR WORK SUPPORTING KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IN A COMPREHENSIVE MANNER AND HELPING KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IDENTIFY AND NAVIGATE NEEDED RESOURCES TO ENSURE SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVING ENVIRONMENTS FOR FELLOW SOUTH CAROLINIANS.

 

Whereas, when concerned members of the South Carolina Citizen Review Panel (SCCRP) realized the need that kinship caregivers and their families experience would be beyond the scope of CPR's policy review and public outreach obligations, Dr. Kimberly Janha, in collaboration with Kayla Mallett, sought to create a more robust and comprehensive plan to serve kinship communities better; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Janha and Ms. Mallett formed Kindred Hearts of South Carolina (KHSC), a nonprofit organization, as a service initiative primarily focused on the needs of caregivers, providing valuable resources and support to those taking care of their kin. As a kinship navigator program, Kindred Hearts was spawned from the need to address the gaps in services and resources available to caregivers not involved in the child protective services system; and

 

Whereas, by including families with both formal and informal placements, KHSC enables families to navigate systems to obtain resources and ensure a safe and healthy living environment, which is paramount in the development and wellbeing of both the children and the caregivers; and

 

Whereas, believing that a deliberate collaboration among state agencies and community organizations and businesses can offer a network that will reach all identified kinship families, Kindred Hearts is committed to building and sustaining a community that intentionally works together to provide resources to kinship care families in the forty-six counties of South Carolina. To support this mission, KHSC hosts summits grounded in prevention and awareness designed to engage parents, kinship caregivers, foster parents, educators, and community stakeholders; and

 

Whereas, KHSC serves whole families but works most directly with caregivers, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives, to ensure they have access to information, resources, and services. Kindred Hearts works with members of the community to raise awareness of kinship caregiving and to support grassroots advocacy efforts; and

 

Whereas, in 2019, pilot programs started in Clarendon, Dorchester, Laurens, Marlboro, and Richland counties which allowed for the development of navigation initiatives in rural and urban areas; and

 

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives appreciates the noble work of KHSC, recognizing that when kinship caregivers have the right support, they can build a brighter future for South Carolinians through advocacy, education, and community engagement. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Kindred Hearts of South Carolina for their work supporting kinship caregivers in a comprehensive manner and helping kinship caregivers identify and navigate needed resources to ensure safe and healthy living environments for fellow South Carolinians.

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