Supporting child abuse prevention by helping build strong families

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This initiative is rooted in communities working together to serve children and their families in impactful ways that provide the help they need, especially during challenging times. At Mesa County Public Health (MCPH), we work to help prevent child abuse by supporting families and building a strong community.

“Being a parent is hard. We know one of the root causes of child abuse is stress, which can affect parenting. When families and children are supported, we can improve outcomes for generations to come,” said Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Manager Amanda Jensen.

NFP is a program at MCPH that works with first-time parents from pregnancy until their baby turns two. Each parent is paired with a specially-trained nurse. This relationship gives parents someone they can talk to and trust, and helps them handle the stress of becoming a parent and taking care of a baby.  NFP has proven results, including better pregnancy outcomes, improved child health and development, and increased economic self-sufficiency.

Our Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program helps families pay for healthy groceries for pregnant people and children up to age five. Families receive benefits of up to $125 per month, which frees up the budget for other expenses and helps alleviate some financial burden on families. WIC educators also give tips for making mealtime less stressful when feeding babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Meanwhile, Resource Navigators with Grand Valley Connects help families get support for anything complicated in their lives, like finding help to pay for child care or utilities. These navigators help manage the stress of applying for programs and services that are available in Mesa County.  “There is help available for people who are struggling in our community. We are experts in connecting families to the resources they need to gain stability in their lives,” said Resource Navigator Fallon Knez.

“Strengthening families is an ongoing mission for us,” said Jensen. “Ultimately we are working to increase the health and well-being of children and families in our community, not just in April, but year round.”

Visit our website for more information about Nurse-Family Partnership, WIC, and Grand Valley Connects. You can also find more information about child abuse prevention and resources in Colorado on co4kids.org.