Growing Community Mansfield UMADAOP puts focus on parents and young children
The birth of a child can bring as much joy and excitement as it can fear and anxiety, especially for new parents.That’s why the Mansfield UMADAOP is doing everything it can to help new mothers and fathers overcome the challenges of parenthood. As part of Ohio’s Help Me Grow initiative, the Mansfield UMADAOP regularly sends a staff member out into the community to do home visits with new parents and expecting mothers.The staff person provides information on a wide variety of issues, including health and development, educational activities, and even how to play with a child in a safe and constructive way.The staff person will also conduct simple screenings to help ensure the child is happy and healthy while helping the parent lay a foundation for the child’s future. “The whole idea is to try to improve that child’s health and development,” says Carol Payton, Mansfield UMADAOP’s prevention and outreach director. “These are new moms and a lot of times they’re very young, and we want to make sure they’re focused on getting the right information and doing the right things during those critical years of a child’s life.”
“You suddenly have a friend who’s non-judgemental, who’s giving you the kind of support you need.” - Carol Payton prevention and outreach director Mansfield UMADAOP 14
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