| | |
| ||
| ||
 |
 |  |
 |
Community ImpactHealthy Families Brevard
In recent years, the media spotlight has been on the gross realities of child abuse in Central Florida. Brevard County is no exception to the rule. However, the Healthy Families Brevard Program it is a great example of what can happen when community problems are met head-on by groups of concerned individuals and organizations. Modeled after the highly successful national Healthy Families America Initiative, Healthy Families Brevard is a community-based, voluntary prevention program designed to help teach parents of newborns how to be the best they can be at their most important job - raising and nurturing their children. Through in-home visitation by a trained Family Support Worker, parents learn to build positive parent-child relationships, how to enhance their problem solving skills, and ensure that their child receives the best possible medical care during those critical early years. Healthy Families Brevard was the direct result of a strategic partnership between United Way of Brevard and twenty-three local agencies and organizations committed to serving Brevard's children. This collaborative effort paid off in November of 1998 with the award of a grant to bring this special child abuse prevention program to our community. Since that time, the program has served more than 1,200 families. United Way of Brevard is both the administrator of the grant and the direct service provider. United Way currently supports Healthy Families offices in Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne and Palm Bay, providing services to expectant families/families of newborns in target zip codes areas throughout the county. Those zip codes served include: 32754, 32780, 32796 in North Brevard; 32922, 32926, 32927, 32953 and 32955 in Central Brevard; and in South Brevard -32901, 32905, 32907, 32909 and 32935. In May of 2004, Healthy Families Brevard gained credentialing from Prevent Child Abuse America/Healthy Families America. This recognition came as part of statewide credentialing of the Healthy Families Florida program. It certifies that sites within the Healthy Families Florida system have met nationally established, research-based standards, ensuring quality service delivery. It also verifies that best practices are being met related to system management and administration of grant funds. The reason for the recognition is simple - Health Families Brevard is making good things happen for children and their families. Here is a sampling of the most recent outcomes:
For more information about the Healthy Families Brevard Program, please contact Sherrie Arflin at 631-2740 or via email at sarflin@uwbrevard.org. Its goals include
|
 |
|  |
|
 |
Healthy Families Florida is a community-based, voluntary prevention program designed to prevent child abuse
and neglect and promote healthy child development. The program is modeled after the highly successful national Healthy Families America Initiative that is based on well-researched critical elements that represent best practices in home visitation.
