Pennsylvania KinConnector

If you've just taken in a grandchild or relative's child in Pennsylvania, KinConnector is the first phone call to make. It's a free, confidential statewide helpline built specifically for kinship caregivers — grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and family friends raising someone else's child. The number is 1-866-546-2111 (1-866-KIN-2111).

What KinConnector is

KinConnector is Pennsylvania's official Kinship Caregiver Navigator Program, created by Act 89 of 2018 (62 P.S. § 2601-B et seq.). The law directed the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a statewide resource navigation system for both formal and informal kinship caregivers across all 67 counties. The program is administered through DHS contracts, currently operated by The Bair Foundation.

KinConnector is not a government caseworker, not a child welfare agency, and not a legal service. It's a navigator — a phone-based service that helps you figure out which resources exist, which ones you qualify for, and how to access them.

What KinConnector can help with

When you call the helpline, a navigator will assess your situation and connect you to:

• Financial assistance programs: TANF child-only grants, SNAP, SSI information, childcare subsidies, and county-level emergency assistance
• Health coverage: CHIP applications, Medical Assistance enrollment, and connections to community health services
• Legal resources: Referrals to Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) offices, the Education Law Center, and the SeniorLAW Center for caregivers aged 60+
• School enrollment help: Guidance on the Section 1302 Sworn Statement and connections to school district liaisons
• Support groups: Local grandparent and kinship caregiver support groups in your county
• Respite care: Referrals to Area Agencies on Aging respite programs and other temporary relief services
• Mental health support: Counseling referrals for both the caregiver and the child

KinConnector also operates an online resource portal at kinconnector.org with information organized by topic and county.

What KinConnector cannot do

KinConnector's strength is navigation and referral, but there are limits:

• It does not draft legal documents — the navigator won't fill out a Medical Consent Act authorization or a Section 1302 form for you
• It does not provide legal advice — for custody questions or disputes with schools, they'll refer you to legal aid
• It does not assign a caseworker — informal kinship caregivers don't enter the child welfare system through KinConnector
• It does not determine benefit eligibility — the navigator can tell you what programs exist and how to apply, but the County Assistance Office makes eligibility decisions

Think of KinConnector as the starting map. It shows you what's available and where to go. The actual applications, forms, and legal steps are yours to handle — or to hand off to the legal aid and social service organizations they connect you with.

Other Pennsylvania kinship resources

Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN): Free civil legal help for income-eligible kinship caregivers — custody petitions, benefit appeals, and school enrollment disputes. Call 1-800-322-7572 or visit palegalaid.net.

SeniorLAW Center: Free legal advice and telephone counseling for Pennsylvania residents aged 60 and older. Call 1-877-727-7529. If you're a grandparent over 60, this is one of the most useful calls you can make — they understand kinship caregiving issues deeply.

Education Law Center of Pennsylvania (ELC-PA): Free help with school enrollment problems, special education disputes, and educational rights. Philadelphia: 215-238-6970. Pittsburgh: 412-258-2120.

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA): County-level senior support programs that often include "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" groups, respite care, and limited financial assistance. Find your local AAA through aging.pa.gov or call 1-800-753-8827.

PA LawHelp (palawhelp.org): Self-help legal toolkits, court forms, and a legal clinic directory.

PA Family Support Alliance (PFSA): Community education and family support programs. They were involved in pushing for Act 89 and continue to advocate for kinship families.

Why calling KinConnector early matters

Many caregivers try to figure everything out alone, Googling forms and calling individual agencies one at a time. KinConnector exists to short-circuit that process. A 20-minute call can identify programs you didn't know existed, connect you with a legal aid office that handles your county, and point you to the support group that meets nearest to your home.

The call is free, confidential, and covers all 67 Pennsylvania counties. It's available to both formal kinship caregivers (those involved with the child welfare system) and informal caregivers (everyone else — the majority of kinship families).

For the paperwork side — the actual school enrollment forms, medical consent authorization, refusal escalation steps, and benefit application checklists — the Pennsylvania School and Medical Consent Guide complements what KinConnector provides, putting the step-by-step process into one printable reference.

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