healthy families

Healthy Families is a voluntary program, provided free of charge, for families interested in learning all they can to help with their child’s development. Families can benefit from participating in Healthy Families because parenting is a demanding job and all parents have stresses, concerns, and questions about parenting. Likewise, all children deserve to grow up in healthy, safe and loving families.

The most important learning in a child’s life takes place from birth to three years. Healthy Families provides weekly in home visits, beginning prenatally, or soon after the birth of the baby, and following along with the family until the child is ready for Head Start or other preschool services of the parent’s choice. During the home visits, parents are provided with information to increase their awareness of appropriate child development. Activities are done on each home visit to encourage normal development and positive parent-child interaction. The home visit provides some busy families with an hour each week to devote to focusing on quality interaction with their child.

Healthy Families works with the family to insure the child is current on their immunizations and is seeing a medical provider for well child exams. Healthy Families also works with the family on problem solving and goal setting, including budgeting, transportation, housing and employment. Screenings are done on the child, in the home, at a minimum of every six months to assess the child’s health and development. Healthy Families staff will make referrals to other services on behalf of the family as needs are identified.

Most importantly, Healthy Families offers support and encouragement to families expecting a child and families with young children. This individualized, strength-based care provided to families in their own home helps parents be the best parents they can be, reducing the stress and maximizing the pleasure of parenting, while helping get infants off to a healthy start in life.

Healthy Families is for anyone who is expecting a baby or has a newborn, up to 3 months old. Services are provided free of charge and there are no income restrictions. Families can get more information about Healthy Families by asking at their doctor’s office, WIC clinic, or the hospital. Or call the office, (812) 723-3910.