Pregnant Women and Parents of Young Children Can Get Help at Local Agency

Parents of infants and toddlers, or those who are pregnant with their first child, are invited to receive advice and support from a certified nurse or family support worker through Project Self-Sufficiency.  The agency offers a range of family support programs to income-eligible families in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon counties.  The programs are free, voluntary and confidential.  Those who register prior to June 30^th and complete their first consultation can receive a $50 Shop Rite gift card.

Participants in the agency’s family support programs receive free parenting tips, baby items, information about childhood health, and other topics from certified nurses or family support workers.  The programs combine one-on-one discussions with educational outings for mother and child to help parents boost literacy levels, address health issues, and help prevent potential developmental delays.  Women who are pregnant or parenting infants, as well as those with children up to the age of three are eligible. 

Three different family support programs are offered by Project Self-Sufficiency; placement in each program is dependent on the client’s location, pregnancy, and other factors.  The Healthy Families program is open to at-risk single parents, teen parents, and two-parent families.  Services are offered during pregnancy and are available until children are three years of age in Sussex and Northern Warren Counties.  The Nurse Family Partnership® program at Project Self-Sufficiency offers home visits to pregnant women who are expecting their first child in Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon Counties.  Nurses assist participants throughout the pregnancy, immediately after the birth and during infancy and early childhood.  The Parents as Teachers program is designed for women in Sussex and Hunterdon Counties who are parenting an infant or toddler.

 

PSS Client Adrienne and her son, Miles

“My nurse was really great. She was always very easy to talk to, really friendly and great with my son,” commented Project Self-Sufficiency Nurse Family Partnership client, Adrienne Tremain, who has graduated from the program now that her son is older.  “It was nice to be able to talk to somebody who was outside of my circle of friends or family.  I felt really comfortable talking with her.  She brought me information she thought I would need during my pregnancy and throughout my son’s first two years of life.  We discussed what to expect at each stage of the pregnancy and she made sure that he was on track with all of his developmental milestones.  Now I’m in grad school.  I am studying to become a clinical mental health counselor and I want to focus on maternal mental health and perinatal mood disorders.”

Mothers also can meet regularly with other women in similar circumstances by attending monthly gatherings held virtually or at Project Self-Sufficiency.  Participants receive the latest information about household safety, parenting, health and wellness, and other topics, while enjoying lunch and engaging in craft projects with their children.  If held on site, mothers can also take advantage of the other programs and services available to families at the agency.  Transportation to the monthly meetings is available to women in need. 

Project Self-Sufficiency’s family support services are available to income-eligible residents of Sussex, Hunterdon and northern Warren Counties.  To find out more about the family support programs offered at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.