Snapshot of Services/Initiatives
Help Me Grow: A state and federally funded program for children under the age of three and their families. Services focus on infant and toddler health and development to give children the best possible start in life. Participation in Help Me Grow is voluntary. Services for families of children at risk for, or with, a developmental delay or disability include:
- newborn home visits
- outreach
- information & referral
- ongoing services/service coordination.
The Nurse-Family Partnership Program (a.k.a. the Olds Program) is a part of Help Me Grow, serving first time teen mothers.
Wraparound: Wraparound is a team-based planning process intended to provide individualized, coordinated, community based, culturally competent, and family-driven care. Wraparound is the service coordination mechanism available to families with any of the following:
- Families of children with complex needs who are involved with multiple child and family-serving systems.
- Children who are at risk of placement in institutional settings
- Children who experience behavioral, emotional, or mental health issues.
Asset Development: Search Institute’s framework of developmental assets identifies 40 experiences, relationships, opportunities, skills, and character traits that are the foundation for healthy development of youth. This framework is grounded in literature on prevention, resiliency, youth development, and protective factors. It serves as the platform for engaging the broader community in order to “help kids succeed.” The FCFC facilitates the work of the Asset Builders' Network.
H.B. 289: Ohio law that defines the membership, responsibilities, and mandates for Ohio Family & Children First Council and local Family & Children First Councils. According to HB 289, county Family & Children First Councils must establish a process to identify local priorities to increase child well-being. The local priorities must focus on one or more of Ohio's commitments to child well-being:
- Expectant parents and newborns thrive
- Infants and toddlers thrive
- Children are ready for school
- Youth choose healthy behaviors
- Youth successfully transition to adulthood
Ohio Children's Trust Fund (OCTF): The Ohio Children’s Trust Fund provides funding for child abuse and neglect prevention strategies. Some strategies are conducted at the local level and some activities are implemented statewide. Butler County is using OCTF monies to promote awareness of the harm of alcohol consumption during pregnancy through “Not a Single Drop” marketing campaign and awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome through “Never Shake a Baby” advertisements. In addition, OCTF provides funding to implement Incredible Years, a preschool curriculum designed to promote positive parenting skills, build social and emotional competencies in children ages 3 to 6, and to provide early intervention for children who need help developing positive social and behavioral skills.
