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

The Center for Healthy Families
Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation

Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of pediatric research and education in Southern Nevada. The Foundation provides a variety of community-related educational programs including the operation of three Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Clinics in Clark County in conjunction with the Nevada State Health Division. The Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation has commissioned the Center for Healthy Families, a Sunrise Children's Hospital department, to administer the educational programs provided in the Parental Assistance Program grant.

The Center for Healthy Families provides prenatal and parenting education to families of all socio- economic backgrounds in Clark County (southern Nevada) and southwest regional families. Clark County is the home of over 85% of Nevada's diverse population. The Center for Healthy Families has administered such programs as Kindergarten Roundup which is designed to reach elementary school children and identify developmental delays, has been an active leader in Healthy Children 2000, and is helping the state achieve its Nevada 2000 comprehensive education improvement plan. The Center for Healthy Families is using parent centers to support the following activities:

1. Healthy Children 2000
   Healthy Children 2000 is a national effort that includes approximately 170 health promotion and disease prevention objectives affecting mothers, infants, children, adolescents, and youth. The Center for Healthy Families, Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation, and the Clark County School District are partners in helping Clark County and the State achieve two of the Healthy Children 2000 goals. Together, they are helping all disadvantaged children and children with disabilities obtain access to high quality, developmentally appropriate preschool programs that will improve their prospects for school performance, positive behaviors, and mental and physical health. They are also working together to increase to at least 75% the proportion of the elementary and secondary schools that provide planned and sequential quality school health education for grades K-12.

2. HIPPY
   The Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation and the Center for Healthy Families is establishing Nevada's first Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY). HIPPY is a home- based early intervention program which helps parents engage in learning activities with their children at home and in school. Serving 50-60 families in this first year, HIPPY paraprofessionals will help parents develop parenting skills through home visits and group activities.

3. Parent Education Programs
   The Center for Healthy Families is also offering Baby and Me, Toddler Time, and Nurturing classes each month at five locations: three WIC clinics, the North Las Vegas Center for Healthy Families office, and the main Center for Healthy Families office. Eight classes a month should reach over 11,500 parents over the next two years. Baby and Me increases parents' knowledge of their babies' needs, and builds parenting skills. Toddler Time is a weekly opportunity for parents and children 18 months to four years old to participate in a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Nurturing the School Aged Child is a parenting program that is approved and mandated by the Eighth District Court.

Collaborators:

• Clark County School District
• Matt Kelly Elementary School
• 3 Sunrise WIC Clinics

Director:
Leisa Whittum
Sunrise Children's Hospital
Foundation
3196 South Maryland Pkwy, #307
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Telephone: (702) 731-8373
Fax: (702) 731-8372
Award: $212,703
Affiliation: HIPPY

-###-

[Literacy Investment For Tommorrow-Missouri]

[Parent Information Center]