Quapaw Nation Kinship Navigator Project - For generations, Quapaw families have relied on grandparents, aunts, uncles, and extended relatives to care for children during times of need, preserving their connections to family, culture, and community. While this tradition remains strong, today’s kinship caregivers often face complex legal, educational, behavioral health, and social service systems without a coordinated network of support. To address this need, Quapaw Nation proposes implementing the Quapaw Nation Kinship Navigator Program, a Tribal adaptation of the evidence-informed Washington State Kinship Navigator Program. Housed within the Indian Child Welfare Department, the program will provide individualized navigation, strength-based assessments, home visits, case management, advocacy, and coordinated resource referrals to help kinship caregivers successfully navigate Tribal, state, and community systems. A full-time Kinship Navigator Specialist, supervised by the ICW Manager, will serve as a trusted guide, ensuring caregivers receive timely support while preserving children’s connections to their family, culture, and Tribe. The Quapaw Nation Kinship Navigator Program will strengthen the relatives who step forward to care for Quapaw children by connecting caregivers with trusted guidance, culturally grounded education, coordinated community resources and ongoing support. By investing in kinship caregivers, Quapaw Nation is investing in stronger families, greater placement stability, and future generations of children who remain safely connected to their families, culture, and Tribe.
