Are part of a continuum of support for families of young children. Mercer Street Friends strives to provide the information, support and encouragement that parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life.
The Healthy Families TIP Program
is a trauma informed, nationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting model. Interested and referred families partner with a certified Family Support Worker (FSW) who visits weekly with the family and provides them with parenting education/skills practice, child development information and activities, regular child developmental and parent wellness screenings, stress management tools, education on family health, infant/child/home safety, and nurturing parent child interaction activities.
FSWs will also connect enrolled families to community resources relevant to their needs and family goal plan. As the family/FSW relationship develops over time, it becomes one that is unique and models support, trust, understanding, and nurturing for the parent. 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. Program Participants must be pregnant or parenting a baby under 2 weeks old. TANF recipients may enroll with children up to 1-year-old.
The Parents As Teachers Program (PAT)
is a trauma informed, nationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting model designed to ensure that young children are safe, healthy, and ready to learn. There are four dynamic components, each closely interrelated and integrated: Personal visits, group connections, child screenings and resource networking. Together, these four components create a cohesive package of services with four primary 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
- Increase children’s school readiness and school success
Home visits by trained Parent Educators are the cornerstone of Parents as Teachers. These visits focus on parent-child interaction, development-centered parenting, and family well-being.
“Rewards don’t have to be money – they can just be praising your child for a job well done with a nice hug.”
