Children And Families First Delaware Inc

CHILDREN & FAMILIES FIRST HAS HELPED NEEDY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN DELAWARE FOR MORE THAN 125 YEARS. ANNUALLY, THE ORGANIZATION SERVES MORE THAN 30,000 INDIVIDUALS STATEWIDE THROUGH 30+ PROGRAMS THAT OFFER ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN. THE ORGANIZATION'S SERVICES ARE CHILD-CENTERED AND FAMILY-FOCUSED, FORMING A COMPREHENSIVE CONTINUUM OF QUALITY SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

HEALTHY BABIES THE NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP) IS A STATEWIDE, EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL GENERATION HOME VISITING PROGRAM THAT SERVES FIRST-TIME, LOW-INCOME, AT-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN WHO ARE NO MORE THAN 28 WEEKS PREGNANT AND FOLLOWS THEM THROUGH THE CHILD'S SECOND BIRTHDAY. THROUGH HANDS-ON, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, SUPPORT, AND FREQUENT CONTACT, SPECIALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONAL NURSES HELP MOMS HAVE HEALTHY PREGNANCIES AND HELP THEIR CHILDREN REACH DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE MILESTONES. IN 2021, 86% OF BABIES BORN IN THE PROGRAM HAD A HEALTHY BIRTH WEIGHT AND 89% WERE NOT PRE-TERM. IN ADDITION, 92% OF ONE-YEAR OLDS AND 83% OF TWO-YEAR OLDS RECEIVED APPROPRIATE IMMUNIZATIONS, AND 96 -100% SCORED WITHIN NORMAL RANGE FOR LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL MILESTONES AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT.HEALTHY FAMILIES DELAWARE (HFD) IS A STATEWIDE, EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL GENERATION HOME VISITING PROGRAM THAT SERVES FIRST TIME AND SUBSEQUENT PREGNANCY MOMS WHO ARE MORE THAN 28 WEEKS PREGNANT OR HAVE A NEWBORN YOUNGER THAN THREE MONTHS OF AGE. THROUGH INTERACTIVE, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SUPPORT AND FREQUENT CONTACT, HOME VISITING NURSES AND SOCIAL WORKERS PROVIDE MOMS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT THEY NEED THROUGH THEIR CHILD'S THIRD BIRTHDAY. IN 2021, 89% OF BABIES BORN HAD A HEALTHY WEIGHT AND 82% WERE BORN AT A HEALTHY GESTATIONAL AGE. IN ADDITION, ON AVERAGE, 57 - 100% OF CHILDREN SCORED WITHIN NORMAL RANGE FOR LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL MILESTONES AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT.

EARLY CHILDHOODHEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START (HS|EHS) ARE HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DUAL GENERATION PROGRAMS BUILT ON EVIDENCED BASED PRACTICE, THAT SERVE KENT AND SUSSEX COUNTY CHILDREN BIRTH TO 5 YEARS OLD, AND THEIR FAMILIES. EDUCATORS AND A STAFF OF SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONALS SUPPORT HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING THROUGH A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION, HEALTH, NUTRITION, AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH DIRECT SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH NUMEROUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2021, CFF HS ENROLLED 578 CHILDREN, OF WHICH 44% (254) WERE DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS. THE PROGRAM ENGAGED 381 FATHERS IN THEIR CHILD'S HS EXPERIENCES. MOST FREQUENT SERVICES ENGAGED IN BY FAMILIES INCLUDED: ENGAGEMENT IN CHILD'S SCREENING/ASSESSMENTS RESULTS AND PROGRESS (173), EVIDENCE-BASED PARENTING CLASSES (133), TRANSITION SUPPORT FROM EHS TO HS (48), PREVENTATIVE MEDICAL AND ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION (44), NUTRITION EDUCATION (35). THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP) ASSURES THAT CHILDREN CARED FOR BY LICENSED CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND CENTERS, OFTEN LOCATED IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, RECEIVE NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED MEALS. CFF STAFF MONITORS PROVIDE NUTRITION, FOOD PREPARATION, SAFETY, AND OTHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AND VISIT EACH FACILITY AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER YEAR. IN ADDITION, CACFP REIMBURSES CHILDCARE PROVIDERS FOR MEALS THAT FOLLOW STRINGENT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NUTRITION GUIDELINES. IN 2021, 630,050 NUTRITIOUS MEALS WERE SERVED TO CHILDREN BY PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS. CAPACITY PROGRAM PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND LIMITED FUNDING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS STATEWIDE TO EXPAND OR CREATE SERVICES THAT ARE IN LIMITED SUPPLY IN ONE/ALL OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS: CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, CHILDCARE DURING NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, CHILDREN WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND INFANTS AND TODDLERS. IN 2021, 31 CHILDCARE PROGRAMS RECEIVED TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND GRANTS THAT INCREASED OR ENHANCED 532 CHILDCARE SLOTS.

SUPPORTING CHILDREN & TEENSARC (ADOLESCENT RESOURCE CENTER) PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL-BASED GROUP HUMAN SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND CLINIC-BASED INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING AND MEDICAL SERVICE FOR TEENS IN ORDER TO DECREASE RISK-TAKING AND PROMOTE HEALTHY CHOICES. CLINIC SERVICES INCLUDE INDIVIDUALIZED COUNSELING AND EDUCATION; CONTRACEPTION; TESTING AND TREATMENT FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES; PREGNANCY CONFIRMATION; AND REFERRALS TO MEDICAL SERVICES OR ONGOING INDIVIDUAL/FAMILY COUNSELING NOT AVAILABLE AT THE CLINIC. IN 2021, GROUP SCORES FOR KNOWLEDGE AMONG YOUTH PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATION INCREASED 25% IN BOTH 5TH GRADE PUBERTY AND HIGH SCHOOL HUMAN SEXUALITY EDUCATION; AND 100% OF YOUTH DIAGNOSED WITH AND STD IN ARC CLINICS WERE TREATED IN A TIMELY MANNER. FUNCTIONAL FAMILY THERAPY (FFT) IS A STATEWIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY, EVIDENCE-BASED DUAL GENERATION INTERVENTION THAT HELPS CHILDREN AND YOUTH THROUGH AGE 18 AND THEIR FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND FAMILY CONFLICT, TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, RELATIONSHIPS, AND FAMILY FUNCTIONING. THE THREE PHASES OF FFT (ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION, TARGETED BEHAVIOR CHANGE, AND RELAPSE PREVENTION) ARE DELIVERED BY COUNSELORS TRAINED IN THE MODEL, AND GENERALLY COMPLETE WITHIN SIX MONTHS. IN ADDITION TO FFT, YOUTH WHO ARE RETURNING FROM OUT-OF-HOME CARE OR ARE AT RISK OF PLACEMENT ALSO RECEIVE ONGOING THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES (TSF) TO FURTHER SUPPORT THEM IN SUCCESSFULLY REMAINING IN THEIR HOME. IN 2021, 68% OF CASES SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED IN GENERALIZATION PHASE, AND 96% OF YOUTH AND 80% OF ADULTS WHO COMPLETED THE HOME-BASED FAMILY THERAPY PROGRAM REPORTED FAMILY RELATIONSHIP IMPROVEMENT. FAMILY ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION RESPONSE (FAIR) IS PART OF THE DELAWARE DIVISION OF FAMILY SERVICES (DFS) DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE SYSTEM, DESIGNED TO PREVENT TEENS STATEWIDE FROM ENTERING FOSTER CARE THROUGH THE USE OF DUAL-GENERATION EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING FFT, CHILD PARENT PSYCHOTHERAPY (CPP) AND TRAUMA FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (TF-CBT). FAIR IS DELIVERED BY CFF COUNSELORS TRAINED IN THESE EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS. IN 2021, 627 NEW FAMILIES ENROLLED IN SERVICES. 100% OF YOUTH AND 73% ADULTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM REPORTED IMPROVED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. SEAFORD HOUSE THERAPEUTIC RESIDENCE (SHTR) IS A 16-BED GROUP RESIDENCE FOR YOUTH AGES 12 TO 17 WHO ARE IN DIVISION OF FAMILY SERVICES (DFS) CUSTODY AND ARE UNABLE TO BE SERVED IN HOME-BASED FOSTER CARE. THE PROGRAM OFFERS STRENGTH-BASED THERAPEUTIC SUPPORTS BY TRAINED CLINICIANS; BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT; AND SKILLS TRAINING IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. IN 2021, 65% OF DISCHARGES WERE PLANNED, AND 100% OF THOSE TRANSITIONED TO INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMS OR REUNIFIED WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR FAMILY FOSTER CARE. SCHOOL BASED THERAPY PROGRAM (SBTP) PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL EDUCATION STATEWIDE TO STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL. MASTER'S LEVEL MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS PROVIDE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY IN SCHOOLS (CBITS) AND BOUNCE BACK (BB) ARE EVIDENCE-BASED, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS FOR ELEMENTARY (BB), MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (CBITS) TRAUMATIZED BY VIOLENCE, TO REDUCE SYMPTOMS OF PTSD, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY, AND TO ENHANCE SKILLS TO HANDLE FUTURE STRESSES. TRAUMA FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (TF-CBT) IS AN EVIDENCE BASED INDIVIDUAL THERAPY. BOYS COUNCIL AND GIRLS CIRCLE (BC|GC) PROVIDE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS IN A PEER GROUP SETTING. IN 2021, 77% OF YOUTH WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED CBITS/BB IMPROVED PTSD SYMPTOMS, AND 87% REPORTED IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANTS (BHC) PROVIDES SCREENING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, TRAUMA, AND RISK OF SUICIDALITY/HOMICIDALITY, BRIEF STABILIZATION SERVICES, AND LONGER-TERM THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO STUDENTS IN 30 MIDDLE SCHOOLS STATEWIDE, AS WELL AS CONSULTATION SERVICES AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL TRAINING FOR FAMILY AND SCHOOL STAFF. IN 2021, BHCS ENROLLED 486 STUDENTS IN THERAPEUTIC SERVICES. IN SHORT TERM COUNSELING, 21 RISK ASSESSMENTS WERE COMPLETED, 86% OF THERAPY COMPLETERS DISCHARGED SUCCESSFULLY, AND RESILIENCY INCREASED 30%. IN SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING, 44 RISK ASSESSMENTS WERE COMPLETED, 84% OF THERAPY COMPLETERS DISCHARGED SUCCESSFULLY, AND 16% INCREASED RESILIENCY. IN ADDITION, 63 RISK ASSESSMENTS WERE COMPLETED THROUGH CONSULTATION SUPPORT.