Parents as Teachers Archives - Colorado Home Visiting Coalition

Pueblo’s Parents As Teachers program earns national recognition, once again.

The Catholic Charities-Diocese of Pueblo’s Parents As Teachers program was designated a Blue Ribbon affiliate for the third consecutive year.

To earn Blue Ribbon Affiliate status sites must undergo a rigorous evaluation over and above what a normal site experiences. According to Parents as Teachers:

“To earn the Quality Endorsement, affiliates must complete a comprehensive self-study and review process that demonstrates they are meeting or exceeding the Parents as Teachers Essential Requirements, along with at least 75 of the 100 Quality Standards.”

To learn more about the the program and read the story of its impact on the Espinoza family check out the article in the Pueblo Chieftain.

Three Parents as Teachers affiliates earn Blue Ribbon designation

Colorado’s Parents as Teachers’ sites continue to earn recognition as among the best in the nation. This year the Parents as Teachers National Center awarded Blue Ribbon Affiliate status to three Parents as Teachers sites in Colorado: Colorado Springs School District 11/Adult and Family Education (Colorado Springs); Community Partnership FRC (Divide) and Family Star Montessori (Denver).

To earn Blue Ribbon Affiliate status sites must undergo a rigorous evaluation over and above what a normal site experiences. According to Parents as Teachers:

In an article from the Pikes Peak Courier, Jodi Mijares, executive director for Community Partners Family Resource Center described the effort required to become a Blue Ribbon Affiliate: “To earn the Blue Ribbon Affiliate status, we underwent a rigorous self-study and review process from the National Center, which confirms that we are meeting Parents as Teachers’ standards of fidelity and quality. Blue Ribbon Affiliates are exemplary programs, delivering highest quality services to children and families.”

These three Parents as Teachers affiliates bring the total number of Blue Ribbon Affiliates in Colorado to 10.

Sites that have earned the coveted designation:

Colorado Springs School District 11/Adult and Family Education

Community Partnership FRC

Family Star Montessori

Boulder County Parents as Teachers

The Family Center/ La Familia

Family Development Center – Newborn Network

Focus Points Family Resource Center

Family Ed and Empowerment Program – Catholic Charities, Diocese of Pueblo, Inc.

Growing Home Parents as Teachers

Family & Intercultural Resource Center

Two Generation Impact in Pueblo

The two generation impact of home visiting can be life changing.

Below is a success story shared with us from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pueblo Parents as Teachers program.

For nearly two years our home visitor has worked to engage and support a local family. The family entered the program as a referral from the Child Welfare Department of Pueblo County Department of Human Services (DHS). At the time of the referral, the family was living in a shed. A local school had made a report to Pueblo DHS because the family’s older boy was going to school in soiled clothing and had poor hygiene. The Case Worker from DHS, sent in the referral to our program because after receiving utilities assistance from DHS the family had refusing to let the caseworker back into their home. The Case Worker made a referral for this family because they had one child that was eligible for Parents as Teachers (PAT) services.
After rejecting DHS, the family allowed the Parents as Teachers home visitor into their home and enrolled their child into PAT. Over the last two years our home visitor has become a trusted resource for the family. Rather than pushing the home visitor away, the family has welcomed her, eagerly engaging in home visiting activities to build their child’s growth and development.
The family will be leaving the program this month, as their child has successfully completed Parents as Teachers. During their participation, the youngest child has met all of his milestones and is developing on target and ready for preschool. The oldest child that was the cause for the initial referral from DHS, has also improved in his attitude and school performance. Along the way during their involvement with PAT, the home visitor has given these parents, parenting tips and skills to help with the discipline and behavior of all their children.
The impact goes beyond the children as the mother has decided to pursue her High School Diploma due to the encouragement of her home visitor. This mother told her home visitor that this has always been her dream and she never thought she would achieve it. With the support and guidance of her Parents as Teachers home visitor she will accomplish this dream.

Nurse-Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers receive the highest rating from Prevention Services Clearinghouse

The Nurse-Family Partnership® and Parents as Teachers home visiting models have received the highest possible rating from the Prevention Services Clearinghouse (PSC). Both models were rated “well-supported” by the PSC which reviews research on programs and services that support children and families and prevent foster care placements. The PSC is charged with reviewing programs to determine eligibility for funding from Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018.

Nurse-Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers are two of the seven models in the Colorado Home Visiting Coalition.

Helping parents advocate for themselves

Losing a job is always a shock. For many of the parents in our programs it can be catastrophic. In these moments, the support parents receive from their home visitors is invaluable.

Lupe* has been a part of the Growing Home Parents as Teachers program for two years. She was recently fired without being given any reason, and when she asked about her final check her supervisor said it would be mailed. However, after three weeks of checking her mail continuously, nothing arrived.

Distraught, she called her Parents as Teachers home visitor asking for advice. Her home visitor suggested contacting the owner (rather than her supervisor) and helped her prepare mentally for the conversation. Talking to the owner paid off – literally – as the next time the home visitor saw Lupe she had her final check in hand.

Being able to work with a trusted ally, like her home visitor, gave Lupe the confidence to to stand up for her rights in a difficult situation. Home visiting and the relationships it creates improve the lives of families in myriad ways.

*(Name changed)

Talking about challenges and changing outcomes for a multi-generational home

The following story comes from a woman enrolled in the Family Star Home Based Head Start and Parents as Teachers (PAT) program.

“Although we are a family of three (myself, my three year old daughter and a newborn), we are fortunate enough to have a support network in our multigenerational home which consists of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and, cousins. We have been a part of Family Star’s home-based program for the past several months and we love everything that the program has to offer. The visits are always fun and supportive.

In our family, we don’t usually discuss challenges we are facing, but home visits provide an opportunity to talk about our problems, explore solutions, and to just have someone listen. Prior to starting with our parent educator, we did not interact or talk with our kids. Now, we have a better understanding of the importance of engaging with them, responding to their feelings and how we can help them learn. We have noticed a big difference, my daughter and her cousins are talking more and are learning colors, shapes and counting. Home visiting is also changing things with the older cousins in the home and has been instrumental in encouraging communication and building relationships with each other.

The program (Home Based Head Start with Parents as Teachers) has made a large impact on our family. Our parent educator has connected us to the mental health and disabilities coordinator who came on a home visit to conduct a speech observation, explain the evaluation and IEP process and answer any questions we had. We were also able to get recommendations from the health and nutrition coordinator when we needed to find a milk alternative for one of the children. She provided us with several options and the benefits and concerns for each.”
The program (Head Start and PAT) has made a large impact on our family. Our parent educator has connected us to the mental health and disabilities coordinator who came on a home visit to conduct a speech observation, explain the evaluation and IEP process and answer any questions we had. We were also able to get recommendations from the health and nutrition coordinator when we needed to find a milk alternative for one of the children. She provided us with several options and the benefits and concerns for each.”