States findings of the Senate and endorses the development of a state plan to support kinship caregivers.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE SENATE
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 118
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
A SENATE RESOLUTION	1
STATING FINDINGS OF THE SENATE AND PROPOSING THE CREATION OF A STATE PLAN FOR	2
KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE BLUEPRINT TO EN-	3
SURE THAT INITIATIVES AND ACTIONS IMPLEMENTED TO SUPPORT KINSHIP CARE-	4
GIVERS ARE COORDINATED AND TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY-	5
BASED RESOURCES.	6
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Idaho:	7
WHEREAS, kinship caregivers are grandparents, other adult family mem-	8
bers, or close family friends who are raising children when such children's	9
parents are unable to do so; and	10
WHEREAS, kinship caregivers offer children permanency and improved	11
well-being and reduce dependency on the foster care system; and	12
WHEREAS, for every one Idaho child in foster care being raised by kin,	13
there are 18 being raised by kin outside of foster care; and	14
WHEREAS, more than 10,000 children in Idaho are being raised by their	15
grandparents; and	16
WHEREAS, more than 43,000 children are living in homes where a relative	17
is the head of household; and	18
WHEREAS, the dedication and selflessness of kinship caregivers enhance	19
the quality of life for those they care for, often sacrificing their time,	20
energy, emotional and physical health, financial stability, and personal	21
goals to provide care and support; and	22
WHEREAS, the absence of a solid support structure for kinship care-	23
givers, including access to resources and respite care, takes a serious toll	24
on the economic and social well-being of families and businesses and commu-	25
nities across Idaho; and	26
WHEREAS, kinship caregivers and those they care for would benefit from a	27
multi-sector state-planning initiative to connect public, private, and in-	28
dependent sectors to transform the infrastructure and coordination of ser-	29
vices.	30
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Senate, assembled	31
in the Second Regular Session of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, that	32
the Senate endorses the efforts of the Idaho caregiver alliance to develop	33
a state plan for kinship caregivers and recommendations to increase pub-	34
lic awareness, to provide training for caregivers, to improve caregiver	35
supports, including respite resources, to integrate support for kinship	36
caregivers into education and health care systems, and to develop methods	37
for ongoing data collection and reporting to monitor changes and assure re-	38
sponsible use of public and private resources.	39

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