Programs

We offer the community a place to go for help that is family orientated and provided at no cost. Families can come here for emergency food assistance, and a clothing closet will be also available for families in need. We also offer special events to our case managed families like our Back to School Events, Ice Cream Socials, Super Hero Event, Christmas With Santa, and our annual Special Lives without Limits Event. If a family is in need of health insurance, we have Certified Application Assistants who will help fill out the applications for Medi-Cal/Insurance. There are Budgeting, Parenting, Sign Language, and Nutrition Classes available and groups such as: Mommy & Me, Parenting, DIY Class (non-toxic products) and our teen group TLC.

As of January 1, 2013, there are no new enrollments of children into the Healthy Family Program (HFP). However, the Medi-Cal Program will continue to provide health, dental, and vision benefits to California’s uninsured children. Medi-Cal coverage will now go up to the (HFP) income level and provide coverage to all children that were previously (HFP) eligible.

Families with uninsured children can continue to apply for coverage through various existing application avenues, which include the online Health-e-Application at: www.healtheapp.net; telephone application through the toll free line at: 1-800-880-5305 (or to request an application be mailed to you); or download an application. If you need help filling out the application, please feel free to contact our office where we have trained staff available to help you.

To successfully complete the application, you will need the following items:

• child’s birth certificate
• current paycheck stubs
• proof of address
• child support check stubs
• alimony check stub
• child care receipts

After a child is diagnosed with a medical complication, parents often feel that some core-level dreams for their family have been shattered. They may experience confusion and frustration as they try to find information that will help them raise a child with special needs. They may feel like they are riding on a roller coaster.

The staff of the Early Start Program are parents, grandparents, or siblings of a child with special needs. We have navigated the system ourselves. We have researched the resources and programs available in our community and our nation. We would like to share this information with you.

We know that parents are looking for both information and support. Our staff receives specialized training; we understand the importance of providing feeling-focused support. We can listen with our hearts. If you would like to talk about your fears, concerns, isolation, sleep deprivation, or just share a heartwarming story about your child, we would welcome your call.

The Early Start Program provides free parent-to-parent support services to any family in Tulare County who has a child born with a special need, medical concern, or delays in development.

We partner with the Central Valley Regional Center (CVRC) by attending their Baby Clinics and offering parent support during the assessment process. We also attend the Bright Start support groups, which helps strengthen the support and communication ties of the families we share.

Our specially trained Parent Advisors make home or hospital visits where we give newborns referred to us a new “Welcome Baby” blanket. If one of our families has a child staying at Children’s Hospital, we can provide them with our “We Care” meal vouchers.

Parenting Network believes strongly in teaching our families to effectively advocate for their children, which requires families to have an understanding of their rights and to understand the importance of self-health. We provide yearly IEP trainings and monthly Parent to Parent Support Groups.

Community Navigators (CN’s) will be providing the following services: parent-to-parent support, phone calls, resource/referral, case management (to stabilize families), support groups, parent trainings, and community information events.

CN’s will provide follow-up services to ensure linkages to community resources. CN’s will model all services based on the guidelines set forth by the Effective Practices in Providing Family Support Handbook. Utilizing Family Centered-Care techniques, CN’s will recognize the vital role that all families play in ensuring the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and family members of all ages. CN’s will support family caregiving and decision-making; respect family choices; build on family strengths; and involves families in all aspects of the planning, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of services.

CN’s will assure the health and well-being of children and their families through a respectful family-professional partnership. CN’s will honor the strengths, cultures, traditions, and expertise that everyone brings to this relationship.

The Family Check-Up is designed for families with children ages 2 to 17.

The three main Family Check-Up components are scheduled individually with families based on their availability. After completing a feedback session, families may choose to follow up with the in-home parenting services offered by Parenting Network.

The Everyday Parenting Program is designed as a companion program for the Family Check-Up. When used together, parents who wish to improve their parenting and family management skills can work with their Family Check-Up provider to address those goals after completing the Family Check-Up.

This program is designed to follow the FCU components but can be offered as a standalone service as well. The Everyday Parenting program is a research-based family management training program that addresses three main skill areas: supporting positive behavior, setting healthy limits, and building family relationships.

Families are eligible to receive Healthy Families America (HFA) services beginning prenatally or within 3 months of birth. HFA is an in-home parenting education program designed to support families for an average of 3 years.

The goals of Healthy Families America are:

• To increase parent education.
• Decrease maternal depression
• To have children experience fewer adverse childhood experiences.
• To have children experience greater school success.

SafeCare is the parenting curriculum used in the HFA parenting program. SafeCare consists of up to 18 sessions. SafeCare consists of 3 modules:

• Health
• Parent and Child Interaction
• Safety

Respite Care is offered to families selected by Tulare County Child Welfare case workers or Tulare County approved resource families. The families must be participating in either Voluntary Family Maintenance (VFM), Family Maintenance (FM), or Tulare County Licensed Foster Parents.

The program provides child care in the home of the family. The duration and frequency of the respite care is at the discretion of the Unit Manager and the case worker. The goal is to improve family functions so children receive appropriate care and families have the opportunity to stay intact.

Parenting Network’s Respite Care Program is designed to provide parents with in-home child care. This respite is offered to allow parents to run errands, go to doctor’s appointments, business appointments, and attend court-ordered classes.

The emphasis is on families who would benefit from the extra hand and who are in need of a “break”. Respite Care is flexible to the needs of the family’s schedule as much as possible.

This is open to all fathers in Tulare County area. It includes services geared towards fathers and children. Services may include: case management, peer-to-peer support, parent-child enrichment activities, financial literacy, healthy marriage workshops, employment assistance, guest speakers, and knowledge and understanding of the “Five Protective Factors.”

Project Fatherhood’s mission is ” To renew the biological imperative for fathers to care for their child so that no child feels like a fatherless child. And to accept the fact that the public sector will never be able to raise children as well as a family can.”

The Parenting Network will achieve this by providing:

• Coordination of individual & family counseling services.
• Group Support
• Significant Others Groups
• Therapeutic activities for children
• Building relationship and more effective communication.
• Helping fathers to make healthier decisions in relationships.
• Job Assistance
• Domestic Violence, AOD, Loss/Separation, Legal, Marriage, and Financial workshops.
• Parent Child Enrichment Activities (e.g. Barbeques, outings, sports)
• Guest Speakers

The PLAY Program is a collaborative effort to support CalWorks families who have a child under 24 months or to support a pregnant mother, and CalLearn families, who are teen parents or pregnant teens. As a strategy for reducing teen pregnancy rates and long-term welfare dependency, the Cal-Learn program was designed to assist teen parents receiving California Work Opportunity and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs). CalLearn helps pregnant and parenting teens attend and graduate from high school or its equivalent. Services may include: Prenatal, infant, and toddler care, infant and child nutrition, developmental screenings and assessments, parent educations, parent and child interaction, job readiness and barrier removal, domestic violence and sexual assault, mental health, and substance abuse treatment.

The Play program utilizes the Parents as Teachers Curriculum. Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a home-visiting parent education program that teaches new and expectant parents skills to promote positive child development and prevent child maltreatment. PAT offers services to parents with children up to age 5 with the goal of increasing parental knowledge of early childhood development, improving parenting practices, promoting early detection of developmental delays and health issues, preventing child abuse and neglect, and increasing school readiness and success. The PAT model includes four core components: personal home visits, supportive group-connection events, child health and developmental screenings, and community resource networks. PAT is rated as a well-supported practice by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. The following resources offer additional information on PAT and its effectiveness.

This is open to any Tulare County Resource Parent. The goals of the Resource Parent Partner are to pass on expertise on: trauma-informed care, the importance of the biological family’s involvement, dealing with problem behaviors, handling crisis, day-to-day problem solving, access to resources, navigating the “Foster Care System”, advocacy, and self-sufficiency.

Open to any parent with an open Tulare County Child Welfare Services case. Have you had your children detained? Or do you have an open CWS case? Has your life been turned upside down? Do you feel like you’re all alone and need someone to help you through the system? That is what we, as Parent Partners, are here for. We are here to help you. We too have had our children removed from our custody and have successfully navigated through the system. The Parent Partner Program was created to be a support system of parents helping parents.

The Visalia Family Resource Center is contracted with the Visalia Unified School District to provide case management services to families who have children enrolled in the Visalia School District. PN—VFRC Case Manager receives referrals from VUSD Student Welfare & Attendance Specialists Staff (SWAS), School Administration, and/or School Social Workers. Sometimes a referral can be about a family who is experiencing some difficulties in life or parenting challenges. Services may include: advocacy/case management, in-home parenting classes, counseling services, referrals to legal assistance, food assistance, clothing closet, alcohol/drug program referrals , medical service referrals, counseling referrals, free access to washer/dryer, housing/shelter linkages.

Parenting Network’s CPR/First Aid Program enables families to receive quick access to the required CPR/First Aid certification. The Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck, back injuries, heat and cold emergencies, and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies for victims about 12 years and older. Successful students will receive a certificate for Adult First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years.

The Post Differential Response Program provides time-limited case management services to families with an open CWS case. Parents will utilize the new skills and tools they have acquired through their existing CWS Case Plan and will have a community partner to help guide them through the process of reorganizing their lives. The Post Differential Response Case Managers provide a variety of services, from advocacy, linkages to resources, and referrals to partner agencies. The primary goal of this program is to maintain child safety and well-being by empowering the family to continue the positive progress they have begun through Child Welfare Services and sustain a solid and stable home life.

The Pre Differential Response Program is a Preventative Program to provide support to families. Every month, hundreds of calls are made to the Child Abuse Hotline. Some calls are made to help protect children who are living in an unsafe environment and may be at risk of child abuse or neglect. And sometimes a call can be about a family who is experiencing some difficulties in life or parenting challenges. Their children are safe and not at risk of child abuse or neglect. However, depending on the family’s needs, they may benefit from receiving resources and/or referrals from community partners.