YWCA Healthy Families is a voluntary evidence-based home visiting program that offers services to expectant parents and those with a newborn with what to expect and how to promote the development of their new baby.

The program serves families residing in Winnebago County.

Each family is assigned to a Family Support Worker who is the family’s main point of contact and is there to provide the support needed by easing anxiety felt by parents, answering questions about feeding and sleeping habits, helping families understand their child’s personality, providing parenting tips to match their child’s needs, helping their child prepare for Preschool, showing parents activities to help their child develop and grow, and connect parents to resources in their community.

Families entering the program during the prenatal stage receive classes and education focused on fetal development, how to prepare for labor and delivery, relieving pain and pain medications, nutrition, expected changes in body, how to care for baby, and other information regarding birth and baby care. Once the baby is born, the Family Support Worker continues to provide education, guidance and support every step of the way until the child is ready for pre-school.

There is no cost to the program and the Family Support Worker provides all the materials and supplies needed for each home visit.

Eligibility requirements:

• Pregnant or Baby less than 90 days old
• Voluntarily accepts program
• Living in Winnebago County

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant Number X1046863 and Grant Number X1050299 in the total award amounts of $8,049,837 and $11,901,581, respectively, for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, and 0% financed with nongovernmental sources. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the United States Government.