Prevention Services
The Family Place on the Square
After Hurricane Ivan, Families Count became very involved in helping families in crisis. Crisis is when most families are most at risk of child abuse. The Family Place on the Square are family resource centers designed for families in crisis and for the working poor who fall through the safety net and don’t qualify for any assistance.
In 2006, the Family Place on the Square provided over $50,000 worth of financial assistance to needy families to support economic self sufficiency. Funded by private donations. See the Brochure Here
Donation Form may be downloaded HERE
KidCare
Florida KidCare is our state’s children’s health insurance program for uninsured children under age 19. Eligibility for this program is based on the age of the child, household size, and family income. If you would like to apply or learn more, visit the Florida KidCare website at www.floridakidcare.org or call 1-888-540-KIDS.
Families Count’s staff and volunteers are available to help parents apply and successfully navigate the system. Families Count is committed to helping all children in our community secure medical insurance coverage.
U.S. Census reports up to 17.9% of children in Escambia and Walton Counties are medically uninsured and 11.8% of children in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties are medically uninsured. - Funded by the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation
Families Count College
A state-of-the-art program to meet Families Count standard of providing excellent service via expert training for staff and volunteers. Headed by the region’s most renowned child protection trainer, pre-service, certified, and continuing education training is readily offered to child protection professionals.
Funded by private donations.
Families Count Child Advocates
A combination of student interns, practicum students and community volunteers with professional experience who provide presentations to students in the public school system to prevent child victims of violence. A partnership with the public school systems to identify and refer victims to a Families Count Case Advocate for services
In 2006, child advocates provided 286 classroom presentations and 13 teacher in-service presentations identifying 320 children at risk of abuse and neglect. -Funded by the Escambia County District Schools and private donations. • www.escambia.k12.fl.us
Healthy Families
In 2005-2006, 100% of those
participants completing the program did not have findings of child
maltreatment within 12 months of completion of the program.
Healthy Families is sponsored by Healthy Families Florida in partnership with the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families. Families Count operates two Healthy Families sites, Healthy Families Escambia and Healthy Families Okaloosa for which it receives $656,605.00 from its sponsor. The agency through community partners provides $153,151.00 in match for a total budget of $809,757.00. The Healthy Families contract represents approximately 24% of the overall Families Count agency budget. Each program has 1 Program Manager, 1 Family Assessment Worker, Family Support worker supervisor and 5 Family Support Workers.
For fiscal year July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007 the Healthy Families Escambia site served 3 zip codes in that county, 32505, 32506, and 32507. Healthy Families Escambia screened 47% of all births in the targeted area. 251 assessments were completed and 159 families were enrolled and served by the program. Of those families 33% were Caucasian, 59% were African American, 3% were Hispanic, 4% were other. 64% were 18 to 24 years of years of age. 80 % were not married, 54% had less than a high school education and 81% of participants were unemployed. Staff completed 1,909 home visits and made 310 referrals for services.
For fiscal year July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007 The Healthy Families Okaloosa site served 13 zip codes in that county , 32536, 32539, 32540, 32541, 32544, 32547, 32548, 32549, 32569, 32578, 32579, 32580 and 32588. Healthy Families Okaloosa screened 75% of all births in the targeted area. 239 assessments were completed and 139 families were enrolled and served by the program. Of those families 55% were Caucasian, 25% were African American, 1% were Asian, 10% were Hispanic, 10% were other. 53% were 18 to 24 years of years of age. 77% were not married, 30% had less than a high school education and 51% of participants were unemployed. Staff completed 1,138 home visits and made 245 referrals for services.
Funded by Healthy Families Florida in Partnership with the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and the State of Florida Department of Children and Families. • www.healthyfamiliesfla.org
Redirecting Children’s Behavior
A positive parenting program that offers new tools to redirect children’s behavior. Techniques solve power struggles, temper tantrums, avoidance behavior and much more. Learn to respond to children with simple techniques that really work to encourage self-esteem, motivation and results! Funded by private donations.