Healthy Families America

The new clearinghouse for the Family First Prevention Services Act has approved another parent support program and a substance abuse treatment model. Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) uses medically-prescribed methadone to reduce the use of heroin and other opioids by people struggling with addiction and dependency.

Queens native Kendra Perry had recently lost her mother when she found out she was pregnant at age 25. Parenting was not something she had planned on at that point. “A newborn comes with a lot,” Perry said.

A new assessment of Los Angeles County’s home visiting portfolio suggests the county has a number of effective programs, but a significant gap between available services and families that need it.

Next week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will vote on a motion aimed at “enhancing” and “expanding” the county’s patchwork of home visiting programs. In L.A., like across the country, the concept of home visiting takes many forms.

As a career advocate for children, I applaud Los Angeles County’s innovative efforts to reduce child abuse by integrating public health nurses into its child protection assessment process. At First Focus Campaign for Children, a non-partisan national children’s advocacy group, we support the county’s forward-thinking efforts, but also encourage county officials to expand evidence-based home visiting programs, which have been proven to prevent child maltreatment and promote resilient, strong families that nurture the healthy development of children.