These are some helpful resources, that I have found along the way. I hope they can help you too. I know have NJ ones on here, those are the only ones I know about. If people let me know about more in other states I will post them! Let’s all help each other.
Mobile Response: 877-652-7624 This is a 24/7 hour hotline. You can call if your child is out of control or you need help. They offer crisis intervention and counseling free for all children 5-17 (although exceptions are made on both ends). They give you 8 weeks of therapy but it can be extended and changed to a long term program if needed. They will come out right away if you need or within 24-48 hours. They are a great resource, and again it’s FREE counseling that can happen quickly. I used this for Carter when I first got him, knowing he we need counseling and help. We are in the long term program. He has been able to keep his therapist the whole time. They have helped us with costs of things he needs for school. When we moved they gave us items of need for our apartment. They can help with security deposits. They are amazing.
Kinship Wraparound Program. Just call 211. They give $500 a year towards things of need for your child. It’s only once a year but it’s amazing. They just require receipts and they are willing to help with bigger items like beds or a computer for school in place of the $500 dollars. We use it for clothing and bedding costs generally. You can get toiletries, food, bedding, beds, and more. There are certain rules with it but they are easy to navigate and abide by.
Kinship Navigator Program will help you get Kinship Legal Guardianship for FREE through their program. You call 211 as well for this. You have to had the child living in your house for a year but then you can apply for it. It is a lot of paperwork, but it is all stuff that I had organized already so I just had to get it to them. This gives you all the rights of a parent. The right to make medical decisions, school decisions, everything. The parents maintain their parental rights. Which through guardianship are: to visit the child and pay child support. Although you have to set up the child support stuff separately.
Call 211- They have a ton of resources that they can point you as well.
A day in the life of a Kinship Carer 