Healthy Families

Stress in today’s society can make it difficult for families to cope even under "good" circumstances. Add one or more problems such as poverty, isolation, unemployment, domestic violence or substance abuse to becoming a parent and pressures can become overwhelming.

 

The Healthy Families program helps relieve family tensions by providing comprehensive support services to families for up to five years after a child is born. Family Support Workers provide most services right in the family’s home. All services are voluntary and have a single goal -- to help new parents meet the challenges of parenting.

 

Services begin in the hospital or prenatal clinic, where new parents...

  • Get information about being parents

  • Hear about services in the community

  • Talk to program staff about their current situation and their own childhood

  • Are offered the services of a home visitor on a voluntary basis

 

Services continue in the home, with a Family Support Worker...

  • Helping the family meet its immediate needs, such as getting housing assistance, securing adequate and appropriate food, applying for health and social service programs, or handling a family crisis

  • Offering emotional support to help new parents cope with the stresses of parenting a newborn, especially stress that comes from lack of sleep or an infant's crying. Family support workers help promote attachment between parents and a new baby

  • Teaching basic child-rearing skills, such as how to make an infant feel secure, getting the baby on regular eating and sleeping schedules, and keeping young children safe indoors and out

  • Modeling positive parenting, such as effective, age-appropriate discipline

  • Linking families to medical providers to ensure that immunizations and well-care visits are on schedule

 

Healthy Families builds stronger families and stronger communities by...

  • Supporting and building on existing family strengths and resources

  • Involving socially isolated families in family, neighborhood, and community events

  • Collaborating with other community agencies serving families in order to utilize scarce resources and provide a comprehensive array of services

 

Healthy Families is funded in part by: Brown County Human Services, Brown County United Way, Door County United Way, Family Preservation & Support, and Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect Grant

Accredited by: Healthy Families America

In 2011, the Healthy Families program provided 17,785 hours of service to 255 families in Brown and Door Counties.

 

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Contacts:

Brown County (Healthy Families)

1822 Riverside Dr, Green Bay

Program Manager: Bonnie Phernetton, email or call 920-436-4416 ext. 111

 

Door County (Healthy Families & Parent Education programs)

57 N 12th Ave, Ste 110, Sturgeon Bay

Program Supervisor: Gina Felhofer, email or call 920-746-9040

 

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Healthy Families logo

 

View a Healthy Families brochure: English / Spanish

View a Parent Education brochure