Healthy Families Roanoke Valley
Healthy Families Roanoke Valley is a program of Children’s Trust
Healthy Families is a national home-based, evidence-based family support and coaching program that supports parents and helps them create stable, nurturing environments for their children. The program is FREE and voluntary.
Our Home Visiting Program helps parents with the changes in their lives that come along with pregnancy and the birth of a child.
Having a new baby can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you are a first-time or a repeat parent, we want to make you feel comfortable and give you confidence to do a good job as a mother or father. We will spend time talking, showing, sharing and supporting you to become the best parent you can be.
We want to make sure that you are receiving prenatal care, have WIC and that your children have health insurance, a medical doctor, are immunized and have been screened for lead.
The first and most important teachers in every child’s life are his or her parents. We work with other programs in the community to make sure that parents have what they need to support their child’s health, growth and development from birth to three years of age.
You may qualify for Healthy Families resources if you are currently pregnant, or for up to 3 months post-birth.
Healthy Families Roanoke Valley is affiliated with Healthy Families Virginia and Healthy Families America.
To access the Healthy Families Screening Tool, CLICK HERE.
What to Expect?
- Your first in-person contact with Healthy Families will be with a Family Resource Specialist. Together you will identify parenting strengths and needs.
- Once you are enrolled in the program, you will work with your Family Support Worker to set a regular, weekly meeting time.
- Learn about your child’s developmental milestones and health needs.
- Explore fun, free and easy activities for you and your child that can be done with your home visitor and on your own.
- Connect with additional resources in the community that meet your needs.
- Healthy Families will help you track your child’s development, find positive ways to handle discipline, create fun activities that help you bond with your baby while helping her grow and learn.
What is Home Visitation? Families who are offered home visitation are matched with a family support worker who will come to the family’s home to talk about:
- Caring for mother and baby
- Learning what to expect as the baby grows
- Communicating with the baby
- Finding a medical provider and healthcare resources for child and family
- Creating an exciting and safe home where the baby can grow and learn
Who can be a part of Healthy Families? Expectant and new parents living in the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Roanoke, Botetourt and Craig are eligible to apply. Parents may apply before their baby is born, or within 2 weeks after the birth of their child.
How much does it cost? Nothing. All our services are free and completely voluntary.
How do I become a part of Healthy Families? The doctor or nurse you are seeing for prenatal care will likely tell you about the program. If not, ask him or her to complete the forms for Healthy Families. After receiving the forms from your physician/midwife, a Healthy Families staff member will call you to schedule your first home visit. If the program fits your needs, your family support worker will begin meeting with you in your home or other convenient location.
More Information: You can also complete the below interest form if you would like more information or want to enroll.
