Doesn’t every child deserve a bright future?
Every parent wants to be a good parent. But not every parent has the resources or support to turn those intentions into a reality.
Each year in the Sioux Empire, over 4,000 cases of potential child abuse and neglect are reported and more than 400 of those cases are substantiated.
What is the Sioux Empire United Way doing to address this issue?
The goal of the Bright Start Nurse Home Visitation Program is to reduce child abuse and neglect. This program was started in 2000 and is a partnership between the SD Department of Health, Children’s Inn and United Way. The program also partners with the medical community to identify and refer families to this very important program. An additional incentive program is included in Bright Start, encouraging the mothers to set and meet goals such as obtain their GED, become employed, and quit smoking.
- Research proves that Nurse Family Partnership programs, like Bright Start, work for prevention. In a 15 year study of a community similar in size, these programs reduced state verified cases of child abuse and neglect by 79%; simply by visiting the mother weekly beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy
- These visits continue until their child reaches the age of two. Each visit focuses on the development needs and issues regarding the child, as well as, offers support to the mother through peer counseling and training
- Through the visits, nurses help pregnant women achieve the program goals of having healthy babies, promoting child health and development, and strengthening family self-sufficiency
- The program targets high-risk expectant parents, focusing on mothers with limited economic and/or social and health resources
Bright Start has served over 800 families since 2000. Outcomes from 2008 include:
- 100% of babies in the program were fully immunized
- 7.5% low birth weight (compared to 10.6% nationally)
- 15% decrease in smoking
- 79% initiated breast feeding (compared to 73% statewide)
What does this mean for the community?
Research shows that for every dollar invested into prevention the return is at least four dollars. This one to four return is a result of decreased emergency room use (many families use the ER as their main healthcare provider), a reduction in crime rates, fewer arrests, fewer unintended subsequent pregnancies and a reduction in use of welfare and food stamps.
To be connected to support for parents and families, contact the HELP!Line Center by calling 211.To inquire about receiving assistance from Bright Start, please call 274-0233.