The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) provides funding to the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) of Jackson County through both the General Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Grant Program and CTF’s License Plate Partner program. The funds go to the Welcome Home Baby (WHB) home visitation service. The WHB program is designed to build protection for children within their homes and communities by directly addressing essential factors that protect against and prevent child abuse and neglect. Currently the WHB program is in its fourth year of a five year grant from CTF totalling just under $128,000 during the five year span.
We talked with CAPA Executive Director Jeanetta Issa about the program. She says it meets a great need.
AUDIO: Jeanetta Issa talks about the services CAPA provides through WHB.
WHB begins in the hospital and includes, upon parent’s request, follow-up home visits after mother and baby are discharged. During the hospital visit, parents are provided essential parenting information, an infant massage kit, a Jackson County resource list, and Safe Sleep, Shaken Baby Syndrome and other informative pamphlets. During home visits, case managers review Basic Infant Care information and practice techniques of infant massage, and give families an opportunity to discuss concerns or needs that they may have. Issa says many of the parents and caregivers who the program works to help may not have other options.
AUDIO: Jeanetta Issa talks about the stresses of many of the parents WHB serves.
Issa says CAPA wants to be a resource to everyone, that’s why they’ve been working on breaking down language barriers.
AUDIO: Jeanetta Issa talks about offering services in Spanish.
Education is a major focus of CAPA programs. Issa says CTF helps make those programs possible.
AUDIO: Jeanetta Issa talks about the impact CTF funding has on CAPA’s programs.
For more information about CAPA and the Welcome Home Baby program, visit their website at www.childabuseprevention.org.
