For children and youth experiencing foster care, lasting relationships can make a meaningful difference. EmberHope General Counsel Erica Case has contributed to two separate Kansas initiatives that share a commitment to helping young people stay connected to the people who care about them: KinVest and the SOUL Family Collective.
On September 17, the Children’s Alliance of Kansas marked the final meeting of the KinVest Steering Committee. Over five years, KinVest brought together public and private partners, university researchers, and leaders with lived experience to advance kin-first values across Kansas. Erica participated in that collaborative effort.
The progress is encouraging. According to the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, 53% of children entering foster care in Kansas in 2025 were initially placed with kin, nearly twice the rate in 2017. When children cannot remain in their parents’ care, placement with relatives or other people they know can help preserve connections to siblings, family, culture, and community.
We are grateful to the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare for leading KinVest and to everyone who helped shape its work. Although the steering committee meetings have concluded, the work to strengthen kin-first policy and practice continues.
Erica has also helped advance SOUL Family, a separate permanency option focused on older youth in foster care. SOUL stands for Support, Opportunity, Unity, and Legal Relationships. Through her participation in the SOUL Family Collective, Erica is helping put this option into practice so more young people can have a sense of belonging and a network of support that lasts beyond their time in care.
The collective recently recognized Erica for her partnership, leadership, and commitment to improving outcomes for older youth across Kansas. As Erica shared, she believes SOUL Family can help close the gap for youth aging out of foster care by giving them people to rely on after they leave care.
We are proud of Erica’s contributions to both efforts. KinVest and SOUL Family address different needs, but each reflects a belief at the heart of EmberHope’s work: every young person deserves connection, belonging, and people who will stand alongside them.
