For family members unexpectedly taking care of a relative’s child during the opioid crisis, it can be difficult to navigate the legal waters of assuming custody. The process may be easier — and come with more support — if these caregivers have personal connections to local resource institutions, according to a study conducted by a Penn State faculty member.

The researcher examined kinship care families — arrangements in which children are cared for primarily by relatives such as aunts and uncles, grandparents, siblings, and family friends. She found that when caregivers personally k...