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

School Board of Alachua County
HRS
City of Gainesville
Alachua County
University of Florida
Santa Fe Community College
Mental Health Services, Inc.
Many other community organizations

What is the goal of the project?

To empower families to become self-sufficient by providing, through community collaboration, a continuum of health, social, and educational services in a family-focused environment.

Who participates in the project?

At-risk young children, birth to grade five, and their families. Major focus is economically disadvantaged. Over 750 children and their families were served in a year. About 80 percent of the families are African-American, and about 20 percent are white, based on enrollment in the Family Services Center's Even Start program. Most are young, female-headed families.

What services are provided?

• Case management
  
• Education, adult/child literacy
  
• Health and mental health
  
• Social and economic services
  
• Vocational/job employability skills
  
• Drug prevention and treatment
  
• Family liaison support
  
• Transportation
  
• Book and toy lending library

How are collaborators evaluating their success?

• Adult literacy--CASAS pre- and post-test
  
• Number of parents who completed GED or other educational goal
  
• Regularity of attendance and participation of families in center's programs and activities
  
• School readiness-gain scores on Preschool Inventory and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Tests
  
• Case studies and interviews with participating families

What are the collaborators learning?

Success is achieved by organizations relinquishing ownership and turf and working together for the benefit of families.

Contact person

Bebe Fearnside
(904) 955-7615 (Phone)
(904) 955-6700 (Fax)

[James E. Biggs Early Childhood Education Center Covington, Kentucky]

[Harvard Family Research Project: The Decker Family Development Center (DFDC): Barberton, Ohio]