SPRING HILL, Fla. — A local organization is working to prevent child abuse and neglect by supporting parents from the earliest stages of a child’s life.
Healthy Families Pasco-Hernando, a program of Pasco Kids First, pairs families with trained specialists who provide in-home guidance aimed at helping parents understand child development and build strong relationships.
For Xenia Pino, the support began immediately after her daughter's birth.
“They came to the hospital. Like the day I had just given birth. So they’ve been there since day one,” Pino said.
The voluntary program offers weekly visits from family support specialists, including Lizbeth Ramirez, who said consistency is key for many families.
“For a lot of families, we are their support. We are the ones that come in and we are consistent with them. A lot of these moms do not have that,” Ramirez said.
Pino, who has two older children, said she sought out the program knowing additional support would help her family.
“They provide me with ideas of activities that I can do to help support not just my baby, but also my older kids so they are not left the dark. They don’t feel like they aren’t being loved,” she said.
The program’s services include teaching positive discipline techniques, helping parents manage stress and ensuring children receive regular checkups and vaccinations. Specialists also screen for postpartum depression, assess home safety and connect families with community resources.
Leaders say a central goal is to prevent abuse and neglect before it occurs.
“If I can impact one mom out there, change their lives. Provide them with the information they didn’t have and then carry it for the rest of their lives, that’s enough for me right there,” Ramirez said.
The program is offered at no cost to families in Pasco and Hernando counties.
You can get more information here
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