Parents as Teachers Names State Leader to Foster Support for Families Living in West Virginia
Parkersburg, WV, April 28, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Parents as Teachers has named the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) as the state office charged with expanding and supporting Parents as Teachers services in West Virginia. The WVDHHR joins more than 30 other states already providing statewide leadership for Parents as Teachers, helping to develop and sustain high-quality Parents as Teachers services for families. Program Manager Tina Faber will serve as the new state office lead.
As a state office, the WVDHHR will lead advocacy efforts for Parents as Teachers in the state and collaborate with others interested in expanding early learning, child development and parent involvement. It also will support the delivery of training and professional development for early childhood professionals in West Virginia and oversee quality tracking for those offering Parents as Teachers services.
Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based home visiting program currently operating in 13 West Virginia counties and expanding into McDowelle and Nicholas counties. Local programs are connected to the state office, which serves as the liaison between them and the national office. Previously, Edvantia provided programmatic support to Parents as Teachers affiliates as the state office in West Virginia; however, due to recent funding cuts from the Department of Education’s Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) grants, Edvantia can no longer serve in this role.
“We are excited about embarking on this new partnership,” noted Scott Hippert, president and chief executive officer of Parents as Teachers. “Edvantia has successfully served as the state office for West Virginia Parents as Teachers for the past four years, reaching hundreds of families and children with Parents as Teachers services. However, thanks to the close working relationship between the WVDHHR Bureau for Children and Families and the West Virginia Home Visitation Program located in the Office of Maternal Child and Family Health, Parents as Teachers programs will continue to receive a high-quality level of service and support. We look forward to working together to provide good outcomes for even more children.”
“We are excited about the joint venture between the Bureaus,” agrees Faber. “Since April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention month, I can’t think of a more appropriate time to highlight the work of our Parents as Teachers programs. Home visitation is an effective strategy in reducing child abuse and neglect, often cutting occurrences by half by encouraging positive parent-child interaction in families with young children. In addition to lowering instances of abuse and neglect, Parents as Teachers has been proven to improve a child’s school readiness, and we are thrilled to continue to bring these valuable services to families in our communities.”
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is the trusted resource for professionals and organizations in early childhood and education. Headquartered in St. Louis, our internationally recognized network of affiliates supports hundreds of thousands of families in all 50 states as well as seven other countries. Through a proven parent education model featuring in-home visits with parents and their children, Parents as Teachers affiliates equip parents with knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a stronger start in life and greater success in school. Parents as Teachers has one of only nine home visiting models approved by the federal government through the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. For more information, visit www.ParentsAsTeachers.org.
About the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has five bureaus. The Bureau for Children and Families serves as the child welfare agency for the state. Services also include family assistance and early care and education.
As a state office, the WVDHHR will lead advocacy efforts for Parents as Teachers in the state and collaborate with others interested in expanding early learning, child development and parent involvement. It also will support the delivery of training and professional development for early childhood professionals in West Virginia and oversee quality tracking for those offering Parents as Teachers services.
Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based home visiting program currently operating in 13 West Virginia counties and expanding into McDowelle and Nicholas counties. Local programs are connected to the state office, which serves as the liaison between them and the national office. Previously, Edvantia provided programmatic support to Parents as Teachers affiliates as the state office in West Virginia; however, due to recent funding cuts from the Department of Education’s Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC) grants, Edvantia can no longer serve in this role.
“We are excited about embarking on this new partnership,” noted Scott Hippert, president and chief executive officer of Parents as Teachers. “Edvantia has successfully served as the state office for West Virginia Parents as Teachers for the past four years, reaching hundreds of families and children with Parents as Teachers services. However, thanks to the close working relationship between the WVDHHR Bureau for Children and Families and the West Virginia Home Visitation Program located in the Office of Maternal Child and Family Health, Parents as Teachers programs will continue to receive a high-quality level of service and support. We look forward to working together to provide good outcomes for even more children.”
“We are excited about the joint venture between the Bureaus,” agrees Faber. “Since April is recognized as Child Abuse Prevention month, I can’t think of a more appropriate time to highlight the work of our Parents as Teachers programs. Home visitation is an effective strategy in reducing child abuse and neglect, often cutting occurrences by half by encouraging positive parent-child interaction in families with young children. In addition to lowering instances of abuse and neglect, Parents as Teachers has been proven to improve a child’s school readiness, and we are thrilled to continue to bring these valuable services to families in our communities.”
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is the trusted resource for professionals and organizations in early childhood and education. Headquartered in St. Louis, our internationally recognized network of affiliates supports hundreds of thousands of families in all 50 states as well as seven other countries. Through a proven parent education model featuring in-home visits with parents and their children, Parents as Teachers affiliates equip parents with knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a stronger start in life and greater success in school. Parents as Teachers has one of only nine home visiting models approved by the federal government through the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. For more information, visit www.ParentsAsTeachers.org.
About the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources has five bureaus. The Bureau for Children and Families serves as the child welfare agency for the state. Services also include family assistance and early care and education.
Contact
Parents as Teachers
Maggie Brandt
314-469-3500
www.parentsasteachers.org
Maggie Brandt
314-469-3500
www.parentsasteachers.org
Contact
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