Healthy Families Barry Eaton is modeled after the nationally acclaimed Healthy Families America program. Healthy Families America programs provide expectant and new parents with the opportunity to receive the education and support they need at the time their baby is born. Participation is strictly voluntary and participants receive home-visiting services and referrals from trained staff.
The Healthy Families program in the Barry Eaton health jurisdiction is an outgrowth of a community process started by Barry County Probate Court Judge Richard H. Shaw in 1992. Judge Shaw organized a group of service providers in an effort to identify and select a family-support program for Barry County. This group selected Healthy Families.
Healthy Families Barry Eaton started seeing families in mid-1995 in Barry County, and expanded to include Eaton County families in early 1998.
For more information call 517-541-2603 or 517-485-7110 ext. 603
 | Because parents are the most important people in a baby’s life. |
| Because parents are the first and most important teachers a child will ever have. |
| Because parenting is a very demanding job, and all parents have worries, questions and lots of stress. |
| All families have strengths. Building upon these strengths allows families to make positive changes in their lives. |
| Preventing problems now is better than trying to fix them later. This is especially true when it comes to our children. |
| Parenting is the toughest, yet most important job anyone will ever have. All parents need support and encouragement as they care for their children. |
Healthy Families Barry Eaton is a community effort and currently receives funding from a variety of sources including:
Eaton County Strong Families Safe Children Coordinating Council
Barry County Strong Families Safe Children Coordinating Council
Barry County United Way
Barry Eaton District Health Department
Zero to Three Secondary Prevention Funding
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Families America (HFA)
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Is Healthy Families voluntary? |
Yes. Home-visiting services are provided for those parents who voluntarily choose them.
Maintaining the voluntary nature of HFA home visiting ensures that efforts are devoted to those parents who both want and need them.
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Is Healthy Families a government program? |
No. HFA sites are independent, community-based, not-for-profit programs. In some instances, HFA sites may receive funding from a variety of public and private sources, which is common for community-based agencies.
Each HFA program is designed and implemented on the local level by public and private partners, including business and community leaders, health care professionals, local and state agencies, and parents. Thus, HFA is designed by, and for, communities to best address the challenges that their families experience.
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Is Healthy Families duplicating already existing programs and services? |
No. HFA programs are created in partnership with other organizations and service providers. This allows for existing programs to be strengthened and a continuum of services to be provided.
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Are records of Healthy Families participants kept confidential? |
Yes. Healthy Families Barry Eaton has established procedures to protect the confidentiality of participating families.
HFA program guidelines require that release of information forms are written in clear and understandable language, are verbally communicated to families to ensure their understanding, and are translated for families whose first language is not English.
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What are the qualifications of Family Support Workers (home-visitors)? |
Family Support Workers (FSWs) have education and/or experience in child health and development, parenting and community resources. To augment their qualifications, FSWs participate in a required 40-hour Healthy Families America specific introductory training course, and receive intensive ongoing training and course work throughout their tenure as service providers. HFA sites hire assessment and support workers who are receptive, sensitive, and non-judgmental. They have strong interpersonal skills, maturity, flexibility, and respect for the values and beliefs of many cultures.
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What services do Family Support Workers provide? |
FSWs may:
1) link families to primary physicians and health care services for prenatal visits, well-child visits, and preventive health care
2) provide information on child development and growth
3) assist families in identifying needs and obtaining resources (e.g., food, clothing, furniture, food, etc)
4) help families in following up with recommended childhood immunizations, and
5) share ideas on how to care for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.
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Are Family Support Workers trained in a specific parenting philosophy? |
No. FSWs respect the various values and practices that come from cultural, linguistic, racial and ethnic diversity. They work in partnership with families to support positive parenting. FSWs share new information about enhancing a child’s brain development, medical, dental, social and nutritional needs with parents. They provide parents with various options for disciplining and guiding their children as they move through the developmental stages.
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Are Family Support Workers investigating families for abuse? |
No. HFA staff members are not Child Protective Services workers. Family Support Workers assist families who desire support. If imminent danger to a child is threatened, or harm witnessed, all state laws mandate that a report be filed. Like doctors, nurses, teachers, and other health care professionals, FSWs are required to report suspected abuse or neglect.
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Do Family Support Workers provide reproductive counseling? |
No. Providing reproductive counseling is not the role of the FSW. If workers are asked for reproductive advice, they are referred to Family Planning at BEDHD, or another appropriate resource.
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What is Healthy Families America’s stance on religion? |
HFA fully respects every individual’s right to religious worship.
