The Service Tree lists all services in "branched" groups, starting with the very general and moving to the very specific. Click on the name of any group name to see the sub-groups available within it. Click on a service code to see its details and the providers who offer that service.
Parenting Education
Programs that offer classes for parents or for parents and their children that focus on the developmental stages of maturation from infancy through adolescence and the child rearing problems that arise with each stage. Classes may be purely instructional or may include an experiential element in which parents bring their infants or toddlers to class and observe their behavior as an example of the specific material being discussed.
Programs that are specially designed for parents who are separated, in the process of divorcing or have divorced or who never married but have children and who need to develop the knowledge and skills to understand and respond to the special needs their children may have as a result of the divorce/separation and to succeed in their ongoing roles as mother and father despite the fact that they are no longer husband and wife or partners. Topics may include the impact of separation and divorce on families, developmental stages of children and expected reactions to divorce, skills parents can use to minimize stress and help children to cope, guidelines for reducing conflicts and solving custody issues out of court and recognizing when a child needs special help and where to find resources. Co-parenting workshops may also be structured for parents in other situations.
Court Ordered Parenting Programs
Programs approved by the court that provide classes which utilize a specialized curriculum that assists families with family preservation and unification. The programs target families in which children are deemed at risk for abuse and neglect and enable parents to fulfill the requirements of court-ordered family preservation contracts.
Disability Related Parenting Programs
Programs that provide educational and supportive services for parents with disabilities and/or parents of children with disabilities who want to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in their parenting role.
Expectant/New Parent Assistance
Programs that provide educational and supportive services for new parents or those expecting a child, to prepare them on an emotional and practical level for the impact the newborn will have on their lives and relationships. Initial focus areas include healthy eating for the mother, danger signs in pregnancy, sibling preparation and being ready for labor and delivery, followed by practical information on basic infant care, newborn behaviors, baby supplies, bathing techniques, diapering, breastfeeding and other feeding options, as well as infant and childhood illnesses. Later topics may include walking, talking, toilet training and other aspects of child development, all to help ensure that infants and toddlers are nurtured, live in a safe environment and receive proper health care. Included are programs open to all as well those targeting special populations such as low income individuals or teenagers.
Home Based Parenting Education
Programs that visit the homes of parents who want to acquire the knowledge and skills to be effective in their parenting role and provide parenting education services in the family setting. The programs may focus on teen parents; parents who need to develop skills to handle a difficult child; families who want to learn school-readiness activities to share with their child; individuals for whom parenting is a new experience; families at risk for child abuse, neglect or out-of-home placement; or others who have issues that are most effectively resolved in the home environment.
Programs that operate a telephone counseling and information line that parents can call when they have childhood development questions, need advice regarding a specific parenting problem or need a referral for parenting resources.
Programs that offer any of a wide variety of resources including books, audiotapes, video cassettes and learning games that provide information, techniques and suggestions for activities which enable parents to be more effective in their parenting role.
Programs that teach skills that enable parents to deal constructively and consistently with a broad spectrum of child rearing problems which may include sibling rivalry; school behavior and performance; poor self-esteem; shyness; drug use; sexual promiscuity; and the whole range of negative, acting-out behaviors including whining, temper tantrums, disobedience, insolence and destructiveness. Some parenting skills development programs utilize a step-by-step approach for managing specific problems and may incorporate application at home of techniques that were discussed and practiced in the classroom setting. Other programs may offer participatory family workshops which provide opportunities for parents and children to learn and practice methods for dealing with one another under the guidance of a trained facilitator. Most training programs teach the parent a particular way of talking and relating to their children that reinforces positive behaviors and communication and decreases negative behaviors while supporting the development of a relationship that is built on fairness, mutual caring and respect.
Programs that provide classes, workshops or other educational opportunities for parents who want to understand their rights and obligations with respect to child custody, child support, visitation arrangements and other laws which address the upbringing and care of children. The classes help participants understand how to navigate the system and ensure that their rights are protected.