Mississippi Kinship Navigator Program and Support for Relative Caregivers

You took in your grandchild three weeks ago and you are already fielding questions from the school, the doctor's office, and the Medicaid application. Figuring out where to call for each problem takes almost as much energy as solving the problem itself. Mississippi has a program designed to cut through that.

The Catholic Charities Kinship Navigator Program

Catholic Charities Diocese of Jackson operates a Kinship Navigator Program supported by the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS). The program serves relative caregivers — grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, and close family friends — who are raising children outside the formal foster care system.

The navigator does not hand you a pamphlet and wish you luck. They walk alongside you through the specific steps your situation requires: locating food assistance, connecting to childcare programs, understanding school enrollment requirements, navigating Medicaid applications, and finding free legal aid if you need a guardianship or private parental delegation.

The program covers designated Mississippi counties including Hinds, Harrison, Forrest, Lauderdale, and surrounding areas. You can reach Catholic Charities of Jackson at (601) 355-8634 to ask about eligibility and services in your county.

What a Kinship Navigator Actually Does

The title sounds bureaucratic, but the work is practical. A kinship navigator:

• Helps you identify which benefits the child qualifies for (Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, SNAP, free school meals)
• Connects you with free legal clinics if you need help filing for guardianship
• Explains the difference between informal caregiving, power of attorney, and court guardianship so you can decide what fits
• Refers you to support groups with other grandparents and relatives raising children
• Assists with documentation — helping you understand what paperwork schools and medical offices need

The navigator is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice. But they can tell you where to go and who to call, which is often the hardest part when you are doing this for the first time.

Other Support Resources for Mississippi Kinship Caregivers

Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS)

If the child was placed with you through MDCPS — meaning a caseworker was involved — ask the assigned caseworker what support applies to the placement. MDCPS reports monthly foster care board payments for formal agency foster placements. These placements also come with more oversight and requirements than informal arrangements.

Even if your arrangement is informal (no caseworker, no court order), MDCPS can sometimes connect you with resources. Calling your county MDCPS office to ask what is available costs nothing.

AARP GrandFamilies Resources

AARP maintains a state-by-state resource guide for grandparents raising grandchildren, including Mississippi-specific fact sheets on legal options, financial help, and health insurance for the child. Their website is a good starting point when you need a broad overview before diving into the specifics.

Local Churches and Community Organizations

Many Mississippi churches and community groups run informal support programs for kinship families — everything from clothing drives to back-to-school supply distributions to monthly support group meetings. These are not always listed in any central directory. Ask the kinship navigator or your child's school counselor about what is available in your area.

Getting the Most from Navigator Services

Kinship navigators serve large territories with limited staff. Wait times for an appointment are common. You can make the process faster and more productive by preparing before your first call:

• Write down the child's full name, date of birth, and Social Security number (if you have it)
• List every agency or office you have already contacted and what they told you
• Note the specific problems you need help with — school enrollment, medical consent, insurance, food assistance
• Gather whatever documents you already have: birth certificates, immunization records, any paperwork from MDCPS or the courts

Arriving organized means the navigator can start connecting you with solutions instead of spending the first meeting gathering basic information.

Our Mississippi School and Medical Consent Guide pairs well with navigator services — it covers the school enrollment and medical consent steps in detail so you can start working through the checklist while waiting for your navigator appointment. The guide includes the specific statutes and district policies you will need at the school office and the doctor's office.

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