Weaver discusses statewide kinship care initiative on Boise State Public Radio

Idaho Caregiver Alliance Program Manager Sheila Weaver recently appeared on Boise State Public Radio's Idaho Matters podcast. Weaver discussed the important work of kinship caregivers and Idaho's statewide kinship plan alongside Keith Mason, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Idaho, and Tammy Creswell, an Idaho kinship caregiver who is raising her granddaughter.

When parents are no longer able to care for their children, kinship caregivers - grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and other family members - often step in. In Idaho, more than 10,000 children are raised by their grandparents and more than 40,000 children live in households with relatives other than their parents.

"They're doing it because Idahoans step up time and time again for their families and the people that they love in their communities," Weaver said.

In what could become the nation's first comprehensive kinship plan, this plan will act as a blueprint for supporting the thousands of families providing kinship care to children across Idaho. The planning process is being facilitated by the Idaho Caregiver Alliance, with generous support from UnitedHealthcare Community & State and participation from partners across healthcare, education, nonprofit organizations, and state government.

"[This plan is] really about listening to kinship caregivers, building on what's already working across Idaho, and strengthening support for families raising children through kinship care," Weaver said. "We really want to listen to kinship caregivers to ensure we can hear more from them."

The Idaho Caregiver Alliance recently hosted its first meeting, in conjunction with a variety of state departments, organizations and community members, to kick off the development of this plan. Moving forward, the ICA will launch statewide kinship caregiver surveys this summer and plans to conduct kinship interviews and community conversations throughout the planning process.

The team hopes to release the Idaho kinship state plan in spring 2027, in time for the upcoming legislative session.

Caregivers can find more information on the Idaho Caregiver Alliance's website and register to receive the surveys when they become available. For those in need of support today, Weaver encourages kinship caregivers to contact the 211 Idaho CareLine.

Boise State's School of Public and Population Health houses the Idaho Caregiver Alliance.

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