BISMARCK – North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) gas announced that funding assistance is available to help with the legal costs of gaining guardianship as a kinship caregiver.

Offered through the HHS Kinship-ND program, caregivers can apply to receive up to $2,500 to help complete the initial guardianship process. Caregivers must be receiving Kinship-ND services before applying for funds.

Kinship caregivers are adults who provide full-time care, nurturing support, protection and care for children who cannot remain safely in their parents’ home. These caregivers can be a grandparent, aunt, uncle, godparent, older sibling, extended family member or someone who shares a close relationship with a child.

Today there are more than 765 North Dakota caregivers who provide care to more than 1,325 children in a kinship care arrangement.