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Healthy
Families St. Joseph County is a voluntary home visitation program
designed to promote healthy families and healthy children through
a variety of services including child development, access to health
care and parent education. The program serves families identified
as at-risk, with children 0-5 years of age.
Healthy Families St. Joseph County’s target population is teen
parents (under age 20) living in St. Joseph County, who meet certain
poverty level criteria, and are at high risk for abuse and neglect
of their infants or children. The program serves more than 300 teen
mothers in St. Joseph County each year.
Healthy Families St. Joseph County is a part of the larger initiatives
of Healthy Families Indiana and Healthy Families America (HFA). HFA
is a program of Prevent Child Abuse America and strives to provide
all expectant and new parents with the opportunity to receive the
education and support they need at the time their baby is born.
Program Goals. Healthy Families' home visitation program helps
reduce child abuse and neglect, childhood health problems and juvenile
delinquency. The goals of the Healthy Families program include the
prevention of negative birth outcomes (low birth weight, substance
abuse, criminal activity, child abuse and neglect); increased parenting
skills; healthy pregnancy practices; and the use of social systems.
What
Services Do We Offer? Healthy Families offers home visitation
support and encouragement to families in St. Joseph County. Our experienced
professionals guide young parents through the special challenges they
face.
We provide information on fetal and child development, and additional
information about appropriate community resources and service organizations.
We assist in reducing the stress of parenting so parents have the
time to experience the joys of being a parent.
A Family Support Specialist (FSS) visits at least once a week for
up to one year. Visits are decreased as the client progresses through
the program. The FSS helps establish support systems, teaches problem-solving
skills, enhances positive parent-child interaction, offers information,
education and referrals to community resources. Once a family qualifies
for the program, they may receive services for up to 5 years.
Parent Group Activities are a vital part of our Healthy Families program.
Six times a year we provide a social event for clients and their children.
We not only provide them with a home-cooked meal and family-oriented
activities, but we also provide an opportunity to meet other teen
parents and help them build a support system.
Past events have included an annual cookout at Potowatomi Park, a
trip to the zoo (this is our biggest event of the year), a tour of
HealthWorks! Kids Museum, and a catered Christmas dinner.
We make every effort to provide transportation for those who want
to attend and have no other way of attending. We also offer bus tokens
as incentives for those who live near bus routes.
Services are available to all people without discrimination due to race, age, color, sex, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, status as a veteran or ability to pay.
How Are We Supported? Healthy Families St.
Joseph County is a program of Family & Children’s Center
Counseling and Development Services, an affiliate of Family &
Children’s Center. Family & Children’s Center is a leading,
non-profit organization serving northern Indiana.
Healthy Families St. Joseph County is primarily funded (90% of the
total budget) by federal dollars distributed by Healthy Families Indiana
and Office of Family and Children funding. Additional funding to meet
budget and expansion needs must be obtained by individual contributions
and national and local grants.
For more information. For more information about the Healthy
Families program, we invite you to visit the websites of the regional
and national Healthy Familes campaigns.
Healthy
Families America Healthy
Families Indiana
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