Home Visiting Services
Mercer Street Friends gives parents the guidance, resources, and encouragement they need to help their children grow and thrive during the important early years of life. Our two home visiting programs are part of a full range of support for families with young children.
Contact us to get connected to services immediately.
Healthy Families TIP Program
The Healthy Families TIP (TANF Initiative for Parents) Program is a nationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting model. Families are matched with a certified Family Support Worker (FSW) who visits weekly to provide parenting education, child development guidance, wellness screenings, stress management tools, health and safety information, and to help nurture important parent/child bonding.
Parents who are eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may be able to accumulate 10 work/education credit hours towards their requirements monthly. Participants must be pregnant or parenting a baby under 2 weeks old to qualify. TANF recipients may enroll with children up to 1 year old.
Parents As Teachers (PAT) Program
Our PAT program is a trauma-informed, nationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting model designed to ensure that young children are safe, healthy, and ready to learn. PAT has four main components: personal visits by trained Parent Educators, group connections, child screenings, and resource networking. Together, these components create a cohesive package of services to meet the following goals:
- Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development and improve parenting practices
- Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
- Prevent child abuse and neglect
- Support children’s school readiness and school success
Home visits focus on parent-child interaction, development-centered parenting, and family well-being.
By meeting parents where they are, Mercer Street Friends’ home visiting services give families the tools, knowledge, and confidence to help their children thrive in a loving, supportive home.
“Rewards don’t have to be money – they can just be praising your child for a job well done with a nice hug.”
– Parents As Teachers participant
