A friendly face The program will see pregnant women and their children up through three years of age.They also work with a number of single dads and will provide the same services to fathers in need of assistance.Their goal is to help 25 families per year, but because of a large need for services, Payton says they often help far more. While the parenting tips and information are invaluable, Payton says it’s the social aspect that helps make the program so successful. She says many parents can be uncomfortable around doctors and visiting clinics, so getting them to interact with a community health worker in a safe and familiar environment helps ease concerns and allows parents to open up about the challenges they’re facing. “You suddenly have a friend who’s non-judgemental, who’s giving you the kind of support you need,” Payton says. “It makes people think, ‘I’ve got somebody that I can call for even the smallest questions.’”
“It’s a very holistic approach that we’re taking, it’s a family approach.” - Carol Payton
Future growth Payton says the overall goal is to help new mothers and fathers become more confident and competent in their parenting skills. She says that competency can lead to a reduction in abuse, and helping parents with small things like arranging doctors appointments can have bigger benefits as well. By eliminating the stress of everyday tasks, parents have more freedom and confidence to pursue other positive activities to improve their situation for themselves and their children. “We look at things growing one step at a time. Our goal is to assist them in managing those barriers,” Payton says. “We’ve had women who have gone back to school. We’ve managed to remove enough barriers in their lives that they’ve been able to pursue higher education.” The program has seen many success stories over the years, and Payton says she is looking to expand services in the future to help more families in need. Payton hopes to make a positive impact on the community as a whole by helping new parents improve their skills to give children the best possible start in life. “It’s a very holistic approach that we’re taking, it’s a family approach.”
Pictured: Dennis Baker, CPS, Executive Director of Mansfield UMADAOP 15
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