Free dental for uninsured children

Valencia Community College Dental Hygiene School will be conducting FREE dental cleanings, exams, and sealants, to children between the ages of 4-18 years who are without Medicaid. Parents must accompany the child.
*No Appointments needed
*First Come, First Served
Date: Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011
Registration starts at 7:00am
1800 S. Kirkman Rd., Bldg. 10
Orlando, 32811

Children's Home Society, Early Head Start Program Information

Children's Home Society, Early Head Start Program Information

The Early Head Start (EHS) program is for low-income infants and toddlers (birth to three), pregnant women and their families. EHS programs enhance children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; increase parent/child bonding and attachment; assist pregnant women to access comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care; support parents' efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and help parents move toward self-sufficiency.

Who Is Eligible? Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) Early Head Start (EHS) Home-based Program is a relationship and strength based Home Based Early Intervention and Prevention program for low-income at-risk families with children ages zero to three who:

• Live with their parents that have current or have had past contact with the child abuse system
• Are pregnant women, including adolescents, especially pregnant teens in the foster care system
• Are abused or neglected children living in or transitioning home from foster care or kinship care
• Are homeless
• Have a physical or mental disability

Program Services and Support.  The CHS EHS program is a voluntary, home-based, intensive, comprehensive and flexible Partnering with Parent program designed to meet Head Start Standards through the following program components:

• The overall CHS EHS program structure will engage and support families to fully participate in the parenting process and plan for self-sufficiency through culturally sensitive weekly home visitations and twice-monthly group socializations.
• The CHS EHS program curriculum, “Partners for a Healthy Baby”, is an English and Spanish language practice-informed, individualized and developmentally centered five volume series from prenatal to thirty-six months, that will address Head Start Standards through its topics, purposes and activities.
• Linking with comprehensive Health Services will include well child visits, preventive and primary care and follow up that ensures nutrition, dental and mental health concerns that will be identified and addressed.
• Education and support services for expectant families will be provided before, during and after pregnancy.
• Family and child transitions will be organized around current and anticipated family need, health, education, activities, and follow up.
• Translation services and bi-lingual staff will be available in county service areas where English is not participants’ home language.

 Through the CHS EHS program, every participating family will receive weekly year round – 90 minute home visits by a program home visitor, in addition to participating in a two-hour group Socialization experience twice a month, and being offered additional enrichment experiences such as Doula services and participation in a Father's Support Group.

CHS EHS Enhanced Services

  Doula Services – The CHS EHS Doulas will be trained community volunteers that will mentor pregnant women during the last few weeks of pregnancy, birth and up to two weeks following birth. The role of a Doula is to foster parental attachment through labor coaching, breastfeeding education and counseling, and role-modeling nurturing. Volunteer Doulas will be carefully matched with an expectant mother by the volunteer coordinator with the home visitor according to their mutual preferences, and decision to work together after meeting.

Natural Helper Support – Natural helpers provide volunteer family, friend or neighbor support for program participants. Program participants will have an opportunity to identify one or more of these natural helpers to engage with their home visitor and provide on-going feedback during their EHS involvement.  Natural helpers may assume many different roles such as birthing coach, transporter, tutor or mentor.

Father's Support Groups –  The Father's Support Groups meet monthly in each county (Orange, Seminole, Osceola) with the goal of providing opportunities for fathers and father figures to interact and support one another as their families grow and development.  The support group includes an education component and recognizes the unique and special role fathering plays on the well-being of children by discussing their on-going parenting roles and experiences.

To inquire about the program or receive additional information please contact Jan Harkness at 321-397-3000.

UCP programs and enrollment information

UCP of Central Florida Now Enrolling Infants to Age 21!

Academic excellence is waiting for you at UCP of Central Florida. Enroll today in one of UCP’s classrooms specially designed for infants through 2nd grade as well as middle, high school and college transition programs. Combine our education with access to some of the best physical, speech and occupational therapists and you have a unique place for your child to grow, develop and excel. Program highlights include:

Support

• Individual and family counseling

• Support groups for parents and siblings

Education

• Free for eligible children through a variety of funding sources

• Infant, toddler and preschool programs

• Pre-K through third grade charter schools

• Free voluntary prekindergarten (VPK)

• Transitional Learning Academy for middle and high school students with disabilities

• College Transition Program for young adults ages 18 to 21 with disabilities

• Low student-teacher ratios

• Each class is taught by a certified teacher and teacher’s assistant

• Before and after-school care available

• Summer enrichment and camp programs

• Inclusion programs available at all six locations

Therapy

• Occupational, speech and physical therapy available on site with most insurances, Medicaid, and private pay accepted.

Call us today and lead your child to success!

Six locations to choose from:

Downtown Orlando, East Orlando near UCF,

Kissimmee, Lake Mary, Pine Hills, Winter Garden

Visit www.ucpcfl.org or

call (407) 852-3300 to enroll

Find Youth Info

Looking for best practices around youth programs?
Check out http://findyouthinfo.gov, where you can search programs by risk/protective factor to see what's working. This might also be helpful when you're writing grant applications and are looking for program models or if you just want to confirm that your current program IS a best practice.

Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives (MODEL)

 

Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives

Do you have four hours a month to make a difference in the life of a child?

The CHS MODEL Mentoring Program is a one-to-one community-based mentoring program for children who have a parental figure incarcerated in a federal or state prison. Each youth is matched with a mentor who can provide guidance and support to help each child develop to their fullest potential.

Spend at least four hours a month with a child going to the library, park, movies, arts and crafts, museums, bowling, or other fun and inspiring activities. Each youth is matched with a trained adult mentor with the goal of building trust and communication that will help the child perform better in school, have stronger family relationships, and be more equipped to avoid negative activities or peer relationships.  We accept children ages 4-18. 

Mentors need to be 21 years of age or older, complete an application, interview and background screening, attend an orientation session, and commit to an average of four hours a month for one year.  No experience is needed.  Just spend time with a child and you can make a world of difference in their lives.

Please contact me to hear more about this great opportunity to embrace children and inspire lives!   

Sincerely,  

Caren Olson

Volunteer Coordinator for Osceola County

MODEL Mentoring Program

Children’s Home Society of Florida.

http://www.chsfl.org/mentoring.php

321-397-3096

caren.olson@chsfl.org

Targeted Case Management

Children’s Home Society of Florida

Targeted Case Management

The Targeted Case Management program offered through the Children’s Home Society of Florida is a voluntary program, which targets children in need of mental health services.  The objective of the program is to provide a combination of services and assistance to children and their families in order to keep children in the least restrictive, most appropriate environment, and to maintain them in school.  Targeted Case Managers provide assessment, service planning, linkage with community resources, monitoring of services, and advocating to meet clients’ needs.  Targeted Case Managers make visits to see their clients at home, school, day care, etc, a minimum of once every 30 days.  They develop service plans with the client, parents and other parties to the case, and they ensure all parties comply with the service plan goals.

In order for a child to be eligible for the Targeted Case Management program, he or she must have a mental health disability and the need for coordination of mental health services.  A child must be experiencing difficulties at home, school, or in the community, and/or must be the victim of abuse.  To be eligible for services, a family must lack the resources to pay for treatment, having no health insurance or limited private insurance that does not cover mental health services.  A child can also be eligible for services if he or she has straight Medicaid fee-for-service coverage, or if enrolled in one of several Medicaid HMO’s. The following Medicaid plans are accepted by Children’s Home Society's Targeted Case Management Program:  Amerigroup, Staywell, Healthease, United Behavioral Healthcare, and the CWPMHP (Child Welfare Prepaid Mental Health Plan through Magellan). Children’s Home Society is also able to provide Targeted Case Management Services for children who have private insurance with limited or no mental health coverage, for children with no insurance coverage at all, and for undocumented children. 

Referrals can be made by the guardian, educator or other involved professionals by contacting Catherine Long at (321) 397-3015, or Catherine.Long@chsfl.org.

Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives (MODEL)

M.O.D.E.L.

Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives

　

Do you want to make a difference in the life of a child?

　

If so, we would like to tell you about a fulfilling volunteer opportunity offered by Children's Home Society of Florida:
　
The CHS MODEL mentoring program is a one-to-one community-based mentoring program for children who have a parent/caregiver incarcerated in a federal or state prison. Each youth is matched with a mentor who can provide guidance and support to help each child develop to their fullest potential.

Spend regular and consistent time per month with a child going to the library, a park, movies, arts and crafts, museums, bowling, or other fun and inspiring activities! Each youth is matched with a trained adult mentor with the goal of building trust and communication that will help the child perform better in school, have stronger family relationships, and be more equipped to avoid negative activities or peer relationships.

Mentors need to be 21 years of age or older, complete an application, interview and background screening, attend an orientation session, and commit to spending regular and consistent time per month with a mentee for one year. Mentors should possess: 

• Ability to communicate with youth openly and non-judgmentally. 
• Ability to listen and establish a relationship based on respect.
• Practical problem-solving skills and to suggest options and alternatives.

For YOUTH, The MODEL Mentoring program attempts to break the cycle of incarceration by matching a child with an adult that can provide friendship, unconditional support, new experiences, and subsequently more choices for the future.
Youth ages 4-18, who reside in Osceola, Seminole, or Orange Counties, and have at least one parent or a parental figure incarcerated in a state or Federal prison at the time of the referral, are eligible for this program. To clarify also, if the incarcerated parent is serving time for a state or Federal crime, but is being housed in a local jail, then that child still qualifies.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor or have a child that may benefit, please contact Children’s Home Society of Florida's MODEL Mentoring Program at 321.397.3000 or you may also check out our website at http://www.chsfl.org/mentoring.php


Sincerely,

The MODEL Mentoring Team!

 

Early Head Start Program

 

Early Head Start (EHS) Program Information

The Early Head Start (EHS) program is for low-income infants and toddlers (birth to three), pregnant women and their families. EHS programs enhance children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; increase parent/child bonding and attachment; assist pregnant women to access comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care; support parents' efforts to fulfill their parental roles; and help parents move toward self-sufficiency.

Children's Home Society is offering the Home-Based EHS option with services taking place in the family's home, while 4C offers the Center-Based EHS option with services taking place in classrooms.

CHS Home-Based Option

Who Is Eligible? Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) Early Head Start (EHS) Home-based Program is a relationship and strength based Home Based Early Intervention and Prevention program for low-income at-risk families with children ages zero to three who:

• Live with their parents that have current or have had past contact with the child abuse system
• Are pregnant women, including adolescents, especially pregnant teens in the foster care system
• Are abused or neglected children living in or transitioning home from foster care or kinship care
• Are homeless
• Have a physical or mental disability

Program Services and Support.  The CHS EHS program is a voluntary, home-based, intensive, comprehensive and flexible Partnering with Parent program designed to meet Head Start Standards through the following program components:

• The overall CHS EHS program structure will engage and support families to fully participate in the parenting process and plan for self-sufficiency through culturally sensitive weekly home visitations and twice-monthly group socializations.
• The CHS EHS program curriculum, “Partners for a Healthy Baby”, is an English and Spanish language practice-informed, individualized and developmentally centered five volume series from prenatal to thirty-six months that will address Head Start Standards through its topics, purposes and activities.
• Linking with comprehensive Health Services will include well child visits, preventive and primary care and follow up that ensures nutrition, dental and mental health concerns that will be identified and addressed.

• Education and support services for expectant families will be provided before, during and after pregnancy.
• Family and child transitions will be organized around current and anticipated family need, health, education, activities, and follow up.
• Translation services and bi-lingual staff will be available in county service areas where English is not participants’ home language.

 Through the CHS EHS program, every participating family will receive weekly year round – 90 minute home visits by a program home visitor, in addition to participating in a two-hour group Socialization experience twice a month, and being offered additional enrichment experiences such as Doula services and participation in a Father's Support Group.

CHS Enhanced Services

Volunteer Doula – The CHS EHS Doulas are trained community volunteers that will mentor pregnant women during the last few weeks of pregnancy, birth and up to two weeks following birth. The role of a Doula is to foster parental attachment through labor coaching, breastfeeding education and counseling, and role-modeling nurturing. Volunteer Doulas will be carefully matched with an expectant mother by the volunteer coordinator with the home visitor according to their mutual preferences, and decision to work together after meeting.

Natural Helper Support – Natural helpers provide volunteer family, friend or neighbor support for program participants. Program participants will have an opportunity to identify one or more of these natural helpers to engage with their home visitor and provide on-going feedback during their EHS involvement.  Natural helpers may assume many different roles such as birthing coach, transporter, tutor or mentor.

Father's Support Groups – The Father's Support Groups meet monthly in each county (Orange, Seminole, and Osceola) with the goal of providing opportunities for fathers and father figures to interact and support one another as their families grow and development.  The support group includes an education component and recognizes the unique and special role fathering plays on the well-being of children by discussing their on-going parenting roles and experiences.

4C Center-Based Early Head Start Option

Who is Eligible?        Pregnant mothers and children  who are 6 weeks through 35months old on or before September 1, whose families meet the annual income eligibility guidelines set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth & Families. These children must reside within the county where the Early Head Start program is operating.

Income is not the only eligibility criterion. The following at-risk factors will also be taken into:

·        Families receiving Public Assistance (TANF, SSI)

·        Homeless Families

·        Foster Children

·        Children with a suspected/diagnosed disability

Program Services and Support

·        Family workshops through Lincoln Technical Institute.

·        Potty Training

·        Breast Feeding

·        Nutrition Education

·        Brushing your Teeth

·        Parent Committee Meetings/Policy Council

·        Officers are elected and will conduct monthly meetings thereafter

·        Participate in educational workshops that provide information about developmentally appropriate activities for infants and toddlers.

·        Provide opportunities for parents to serve on the Early Head Start Parent Committees and Policy Council.

·        Provide parents with appropriate referrals to community agencies as needed.

·        Opportunities will be made available for parents to access comprehensive health services including:

o       Well-child visits and obtaining immunizations

o       Preventive and primary care.

o       Follow up to ensure that nutrition, dental and mental health concerns are identified and addressed.

 4C Enhanced Services

     •     Family Partnership Agreements are designed to meet Early Head Start Performance      

            Standards. Family Advocates meet with each family to assess their needs and establish    

            realistic and attainable goals, providing them with appropriate resources in order that they

            may reach their goals.

    

     •     Continuing Education Assistance for both expectant parents and parents whose children  

            are enrolled in our program.  Funds are made available for parents who interested in

            continuing their education to become self-sufficient.

     •     Father's Friendly Program The 4C  Early Head Start will provide resources and support

             to all men who have children enrolled in our programs.  Our goal is to support and

             mentor fathers by providing program activities that encourages father involvement

            (father/daughter dance, fathers’ breakfast, field trip participation, etc…)

To inquire about Children’s Home Society home base program or receive additional information please contact Jan Harkness at 321-397-3000. For information about 4C Head Start center base program contact Phyllis Scott at 407-532-4357.

Early Head Start Program (EHS) Center-Based Services

4C Center-Based Early Head Start Option

Who is Eligible? Pregnant mothers and children who are 6 weeks through 35months old on or before September 1, whose families meet the annual income eligibility guidelines set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth & Families. These children must reside within the county where the Early Head Start program is operating.

Income is not the only eligibility criterion. The following at-risk factors will also be taken into consideration:

· Families receiving Public Assistance (TANF, SSI)

· Homeless Families

· Foster Children

· Children with a suspected/diagnosed disability

Program Services and Support

· Family workshops through Lincoln Technical Institute.

· Potty Training

· Breast Feeding

· Nutrition Education

· Brushing your Teeth

· Parent Committee Meetings/Policy Council

· Officers are elected and will conduct monthly meetings thereafter

· Participate in educational workshops that provide information about developmentally appropriate activities for infants and toddlers.

· Provide opportunities for parents to serve on the Early Head Start Parent Committees and Policy Council.

· Provide parents with appropriate referrals to community agencies as needed.

· Opportunities will be made available for parents to access comprehensive health services including:

o Well-child visits and obtaining immunizations

o Preventive and primary care.

o Follow up to ensure that nutrition, dental and mental health concerns are identified and addressed.

For information about 4C Head Start center based program contact Phyllis Scott at 407-532-4357.