Serving more families than ever!
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| CAPS’ Healthy Families Elkhart County Reaches 300 Families Served |
ELKHART (Jan 30, 2020) — As of November of 2019, CAPS’ Healthy Families Elkhart County (HFEC) reported serving a record 300 families per month. HFEC supports families with newborns by offering one-on-one home visitation services, helping parents build on their existing strengths. This support ensures children to grow up healthier and happier.
“Previously we averaged about 250 families served per month,” said HFEC Director Ellen Graber-McCrae. Then, beginning July 2019, the program saw an increase in enrollment. Each month increased until they hit the 300 families mark in November and continue to maintain that level of service.
In addition to gaining new families, fewer families have left the program. In previous years, approximately 200 families left annually, but that amount decreased by 35 percent in 2019.
“While we can’t nail down the precise reason why people are staying in the program longer,” said Graber-McCrae, “we know that program participants really love our quality home visiting, well-trained staff and the rewards program we offer.” She also noted that HFEC now offers services to families with children ages 0 to 5 years old, whereas in the past, services were only available until a child reached 3 years old. However, this change is too new to determine if it has impacted enrollment numbers.
According to Healthy Families America®, “58 percent of communities that provide access to Healthy Families see children become healthier and perform better in school, and parents become more self-sufficient.” They also note that there is a 70 percent reduction in pregnancy complications for those who join the program prenatally. Because of these results, the community also experiences lower costs in community services.
To learn more about HFEC and its impact on Elkhart County, visit capselkhart.org/healthyfamilies.
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About CAPS
CAPS supports families to ensure that every child lives a life free from abuse and neglect. |
Media Contact
Cindy Sawyer
Marketing Manager
(574) 295-2277
Email address: csawyer@capselkhart.org
Special Notes
Graph and HFEC logo attached for consideration. |
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