Healthy Families
PASCO KIDS FIRST
By RONNIE BLAIR | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 11, 2010
DADE CITY - When Gladys Valdez became a mother for the first time, she turned to Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando for help navigating her way through the early years of parenthood.
It's a decision the mother of two — Saul Hernandez, 3, and Curtis Hernandez, 1 — is happy she made. She came to look forward to visits from the program's resource mothers, who provided valuable tips and help with basics, such as transportation.
"They are just like a friend," Valdez said. "You can talk to them. They always try to help you out with anything."
Valdez was among a group of parents recognized this week at a Healthy Families graduation ceremony, an event that capped their three to five years of meeting goals to become better parents and improve their children's chances of a better future.
During their time in the program, some parents landed a job. Others earned a GED, got driver's licenses or accomplished other things that helped them on their way to the program's ultimate goal of making their families self-sufficient.
Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando is a voluntary program that targets families that are expecting or those that have newborns and face circumstances that could put their children at high risk for abuse, neglect or other problems that could be prevented through home-visiting services.
The baby cannot be older than 3 months when the family signs on, but once accepted, the family can remain with the program until the child is 5, said Becky Bennett, Healthy Families' program manager.
The program provides families with information about parenting and child development, and also connects them to other community services.
Staff members known as resource mothers make home visits to provide parenting tips, monitor the baby's development and make sure immunizations are up to date.
The resource mothers talk about safe and unsafe sleeping environments, how to cope with crying, how to recognize and address child safety hazards and other topics.
The local organization is part of Healthy Families Florida.
Cris Vera, one of two resource mothers who worked with Valdez, said she enjoys watching the children progress through stages of development and seeing the mothers' self esteem improve.
The parents don't have to wait for the home visits if they need assistance or advice. They can give the resource mother a telephone call, though most of those calls come early in the relationship, Vera said.
"Toward the end, they aren't calling you," she said. "They are beginning to be self-sufficient."
Healthy Families' funding comes from the state government. This year it experienced a budget reduction that led to layoffs, which meant fewer families could be served, Bennett said.
That's also why Valdez ended up working with two resource mothers. The one originally assigned to her was among the staff members laid off.
Healthy Families is hoping to fare better when the Legislature sets the budget for next year, Bennett said.
Ed Couch and Susan Aragona became involved in Healthy Families because of their daughter, Sharon Summer Rose Pankhurst, who is 2.
Healthy Families provides good camaraderie for mothers and gives Sharon a chance to interact with other children, Couch said. The program also provides answers to all kinds of questions parents face, he said.
"You never quit learning when you have a baby around," Couch said.
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The Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando program held a graduation ceremony recently for parents who have achieved goals to better their lives and brighten the future for their children. After the ceremony, Santa handed out gifts.
JAY CONNER/STAFF
