A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Families United for Success
Life Services System of Ottawa County, Inc.

Families United for Success, a project developed by Life Services System of Ottawa County (LSS), is designed to assist parents in creating a home environment that promotes learning and to improve the well-being of children and families. LSS is a consortium of the major human service agencies and schools in Ottawa County. This project builds on LSS' resources to improve existing services and create a new range of services.

Families United for Success provides services to six counties in midwestern Michigan: Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Newaygo, and Lake. In five of these six counties, 43-70% of all children live in low income families. While initial services will target these counties, during the fourth year of the program, technical assistance will be provided to agencies and schools across the state that are interested in replicating the program.

In the first year, two existing programs are being expanded to establish Resource/ Information Centers in Ottawa County. The Grand Haven center provides parent assistance services based on the Parents as Teachers (PAT) model. The Holland site follows the Cities in Schools model and will have the PAT model incorporated as well. More centers will be established in subsequent years. The Resource/Information Centers provide three key services:

1. Training and Information for Service Providers and Parent Educators
   At established centers, parent educators identified from newly-identified sites within the six counties are being trained on how to develop Family Action Plans; provide visitation and observation, evaluation, and technical assistance; and coordinate collaboration. Training also includes how to recruit and retain mothers and fathers in parenting programs, information on early childhood development and culturally relevant information, information on the PAT model, and how to develop and implement simple methods for evaluation. After parent educators are trained, they assist with workshops and provide team teaching to newly-identified centers.

2. Support for Service Providers and Parent Educators
   Support is being provided through a method of site visitation and technical assistance coordinated with LSS. The centers and LSS provide follow-up assistance to ensure implementation.

3. Services for Families
   Resource Center staff are recruiting parents interested in receiving assistance, placing a special focus on parents of low economic status, ethnic minority, and limited English-proficiency. Staff develop an Individualized Family Services Profile with and for families, then bring in service providers and make referrals. Center staff also train parents to be teachers following the Parents as Teachers model.

Collaborators:

• West Michigan Community Education Consortium
• Grand Haven Public Schools
• Holland Public Schools
• Life Services Network/Communities in Schools
• Family Independence Agency (DSS)
• Community Mental Health
• Public Health
• Head Start Programs
• Ottawa Area Intermediate School District
• COGIC Community Center
• Michigan Cities in Schools

Director:
Deanna DePree
Life Services System of Ottawa
County, Inc.
272 East 8th Street #8, Suite B
Holland, MI 49423
Telephone: (616) 396-7566
Fax: (616) 396-6893
Award: $209,090
Affiliation: PAT

-###-

[Cambridge Partnership for Public Education]

[PACER Center, Inc.]