County Executive Falk Selects Agency to Assist Newborns and Families For Her Allied Drive Early Child Initiative

June 07, 2004
Sharyn Wisniewski (608) 267-8823
County Executive

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk took the next step in her Allied Drive baby visitation plan today by choosing the Exchange Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Inc. to implement Falk’s Early Childhood Initiative in the Allied Drive neighborhood. “The Exchange Center will bring its expertise and commitment to help families in the Allied Drive neighborhood,” said Falk, who noted that the Exchange Center has partnered with Dane County on a home visitation program for families called “First Steps” in the Wisconsin Heights (Black Earth, Mazomanie) area since 2001. The Exchange Center was the unanimous recommendation of a panel that reviewed the proposals for the County. A resolution to the County Board recommending the award of the contract to the Exchange Center and accepting a $50,000 grant from the Madison Community Foundation to pay for the program will be presented tonight (June 7) to the County Board’s Health and Human Needs Committee. The Home Visitation Program will work with about 50 moms and dads who may be expecting to give birth to newborns over the next year. The dollars will be used to hire a full time “Family Support Specialist” to work with parents and caregivers to assess child growth and development, identify health and other needs, and provide parent support and education to build on the strengths of the family. A “Lead Resident Partner,” someone who lives in Allied Drive, will also be funded to engage families in the services. The Allied Drive Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) is designed to increase families’ access to: · prenatal care; · health and developmental screening and assessment of infants, toddlers and young children; · parenting education and support; · immunizations and other appropriate health care; and · child care and basic human needs assistance. ###