Oregon Kinship Caregiver Support Groups, Respite Care, and Training

You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone

Financial benefits cover the bills, but they don't address the isolation, exhaustion, and emotional weight of raising a grandchild or relative's child. Oregon has a network of support services built specifically for kinship caregivers — and most of them are free.

Oregon Kinship Navigator

The statewide Oregon Kinship Navigator (OKN), operated by the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette in partnership with ODHS, is the single best starting point. Call 1-833-201-5557 or visit oregonkinshipnavigator.org.

What the Navigator provides:

• Referral and triage: A navigator assesses your situation and connects you with the right agencies, programs, and community resources
• Virtual peer support groups: Monthly meetings with other kinship caregivers across Oregon — people who understand what you're going through
• Emergency tangible aid: Car seats, beds, clothing, school supplies, and diapers when a child arrives suddenly — no income limits for referrals
• Legal information: General guidance on your rights and options (not legal advice or representation)

The Navigator is trauma-informed and designed for people in crisis. You don't need a court order, ODHS case, or income verification to call.

Peer Support Groups

Beyond the Kinship Navigator's virtual groups, local support groups meet across Oregon. These are run by community organizations, churches, Area Agencies on Aging, and family resource centers. Finding the right group for your area:

• 211info (dial 2-1-1): Oregon's statewide resource line can locate kinship and grandparent support groups near you
• Area Agencies on Aging: Under the Older Americans Act's National Family Caregiver Support Program (Title III-E), local AAAs offer support groups, workshops, and counseling for grandparents aged 55 and older raising grandchildren
• Oregon Kinship Navigator: Can refer you to groups in your county

Peer groups aren't therapy — they're practical. Members share which ODHS offices are helpful, which schools cooperate with caregiver affidavits, where to find winter coats, and how to handle the emotional complexity of raising a child whose parent is struggling.

Respite Care

Respite gives you a break — a few hours or a few days when someone else cares for the child so you can rest, attend medical appointments, or simply breathe.

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) / ADRC: Under Title III-E of the Older Americans Act, local AAAs and Aging and Disability Resource Connection offices provide respite grants to grandparents aged 55 and older raising minor grandchildren. Grants may cover in-home care, adult day programs, or short-term out-of-home stays.

ODHS-connected respite: If the child is in a formal foster care placement, your ODHS caseworker can arrange respite through the child welfare system. Respite care for certified foster parents is part of the support structure.

Community organizations: Local family resource centers, churches, and organizations like the YMCA sometimes offer respite programs or childcare co-ops. 211info can help locate options in your area.

Caregiver Training

Oregon offers training programs designed for kinship caregivers:

• Foster parent training (if you're certifying through ODHS): Required training covers child development, trauma-informed care, and managing challenging behaviors. ODHS has updated relative certification rules to streamline approval timelines; ask your caseworker which training requirements apply.
• Community workshops: AAAs, Kinship Navigator, and community organizations run workshops on topics like navigating benefit applications, understanding children's trauma responses, and self-care for caregivers.
• Online resources: The National Kinship Care Resource Center and organizations like Generations United offer free webinars and educational materials.

Energy and Housing Assistance

Two programs help with the increased household costs of an additional child:

• LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program): Grants to offset heating and cooling bills, accessed through local Community Action Agencies
• OEAP (Oregon Energy Assistance Program): Additional energy assistance for qualifying households

Contact your local Community Action Agency or dial 211 for application information.

The Oregon Kinship Financial Help guide includes contact information for every support service mentioned here, plus a structured approach to building your support network alongside your financial benefits.

See more Oregon guides →