Supporting kinship caregivers creates healthier communities
When we think about family caregiving, we often picture adults caring for their aging parents or raising young children. But there's another caregiving story quietly sustaining families across America—one that's less visible but equally vital. It's the story of grandparents, aunts, uncles or close family friends who step up to raise a child when their parents can’t, creating what are known as kinship families or grandfamilies.
Meet Teresa Roddy and her husband who are raising their niece and nephew near Olympia, WA. The twins are among the 2.4 million children who live in kinship family structures across the country, 50,000 of which live right here in Washington. These arrangements emerge from various circumstances—parental substance abuse, incarceration, mental health challenges and others.
The hidden health impacts
Despite their prevalence, kinship families are typically overlooked; because kinship placements primarily occur outside of the formal foster care system, most families aren’t eligible for foster care assistance programs. This gap in support creates a cascade of challenges that directly impact health and well-being.
Research reveals that kinship caregivers frequently experience chronic stress related to financial strain from unexpected expenses, managing children's behavioral and emotional needs, and navigating complex systems including legal guardianship. This persistent stress isn't just emotionally taxing—it manifests in serious physical health conditions. Studies show that kinship caregivers face elevated risks of depression, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
Shining a light on kinship families
Here's the encouraging news: with proper support, kinship caregiving arrangements can benefit everyone involved. Children gain the stability of remaining with family, maintaining cultural connections and often staying in familiar schools and communities. Meanwhile, older adults in these caregiving roles often experience improved sense of purpose and community connection compared to living alone—especially when they receive support and resources they need.
This is why our corporate foundation, Cambia Health Foundation, helps fund organizations that support kinship families and the health and well-being of older adults serving as primary caregivers in grandfamilies. It's part of their strategic focus on Healthy and Connected Aging, which aims to increase behavioral health access and support whole-person health for older adults.
"Supporting kinship caregivers is really about prevention and building resilience," said Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Foundation. "When we address the immense challenges these families face, we're not just helping one generation—we're creating a ripple effect of well-being that strengthens children, caregivers and entire communities."
Please visit CambiaHealthFoundation.org to learn more.
