Maine Kinship Navigator Program: Free Help for Relative Caregivers

One Call That Connects You to Everything

When you are suddenly raising a grandchild or relative's child, the hardest part is often not knowing who to call first. The Maine Kinship Navigator Program, operated by Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) in partnership with the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS), exists to solve that problem.

Call AFFM at 207-827-2331 and a kinship specialist can help you navigate what is available for your specific situation.

What Navigators Provide

The Kinship Navigator Program is not a government benefits office. It is a support and referral service that helps kinship caregivers access the web of programs they are entitled to but may not know about. Navigators can:

• Assess your situation and identify which state programs (TANF, SNAP, MaineCare, CCAP) apply to your care arrangement
• Connect families with material goods such as clothing, bedding, and household items
• Connect you with peer support groups where other grandparents and relatives share practical advice and emotional support
• Refer you to legal aid (Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Legal Services for Maine Elders) when you need help with guardianship, appeals, or benefit denials
• Link you to community resources like clothing closets, food pantries, and family support programs

AFFM describes its Kinship Program as neutral support and systems navigation. It also provides information about becoming a licensed kinship family through DHHS.

211 Maine

For general resource referrals, dial 211 or visit 211maine.org. The statewide helpline connects callers to local social services, emergency shelters, utility assistance programs, and mental health resources. It is a good starting point when you need something the Kinship Navigator does not cover directly.

Area Agencies on Aging

If you are 55 or older, live with and provide primary informal care to a relative child 18 or younger because the child's biological or adoptive parents are unable or unwilling to provide that care, Maine's Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) administer the National Family Caregiver Support Program (Title III-E of the Older Americans Act) for eligible older relative caregivers. Through the AAAs, you can access:

• Respite care so you can attend medical appointments or simply rest
• Support groups and counseling
• Supplemental material assistance

Reach the statewide AAA intake line at 1-877-353-3771.

Before You Call: Have Your Details Ready

Navigators can help you faster if you arrive prepared. Know the answers to these questions:

• How many children are in your care and their ages
• How the children came to live with you (informal arrangement, DHHS placement, family agreement)
• Whether you have any legal documentation (power of attorney, guardianship order, or nothing at all)
• What benefits you are currently receiving or have applied for
• What immediate needs the children have right now

The complete Maine kinship financial help guide includes a navigator call prep worksheet that organizes all of this into a single page — so when you pick up the phone, you have everything in front of you.

See more Maine guides →