Press Release
Healthy Families Program- New Location
April 9, 2021
The Healthy Families program offices have moved from the health department’s main building to our Behavioral Health building located at 925 N Burhans Blvd, Hagerstown, MD 21742.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Healthy Families Washington County continued to provide services to families residing in Washington County via virtual home visits. In order to meet the needs of the families enrolled in the program, Healthy Families Washington County modified and adapted services. The program partnered with Fathers Forward, LLC to provide a virtual support group to fathers and father figures in our community. The Father’s Group is free and voluntary, meets weekly and participation is welcome at any point during the group. Healthy Families also started the Goal Getter program for participants to encourage families to continue being active in home visiting activities during the pandemic. From the Goal Getter program, families can earn points which they can trade in for prizes such as household items, arts/crafts, or self-care baskets. Healthy Families began delivering and dropping off essential items such diapers, baby wipes, baby safety equipment, cleaning supplies, etc. to families who were in need of them. We also partnered with the Health Department’s Cribs for Kids program to deliver safe sleep items to participants in our program with babies ages 12 months and under.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Healthy Families has also adapted to ensure that the heart and foundation of home visiting services remained consistent for families. All staff offered families virtual home visits through either Google Meet or through telephone visits. Healthy Families continued to provide universal screening to all families for Postpartum Depression, Child Development, Home Safety for Children, and much more. More than ever, Healthy Families staff continued to link families to resources in the community for food, shelter, housing, financial assistance, etc. and assisted families virtually in accessing those resources. The program’s focus remains on supporting parents and their children in the community and empowering families to advocate for themselves.
To learn more about how to join the Healthy Families Program visit our webpage at https://washcohealth.org/wchd-programs/healthy-families/
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