Early learning and development has been a hot topic for Sheboygan County, and exciting new efforts are underway. In a 2014 blog I wrote about Brown County’s breakthrough effort to make sure all newborn babies receive a Welcome Baby visit. (https://kidsforward.org/welcome-babies-brown-county-reaching-newborns/)
Well, good ideas can be replicated. Sheboygan folks have joined leaders from the Brown County Community Partnership for Children, and they are modeling its Welcome Baby program after the success in Brown County. 89% of families with newborns in Brown County received a Welcome Baby home visit in 2014, and they are now aiming at 100%.
According to United Way of Sheboygan County’s Jon Doll, Executive Director, and Emily Rendall-Araujo, Associate Director of Community Development, the next steps for the Sheboygan County Community Partnership for Children include strategic planning starting early this year and implementation of a Welcome Baby program in the spring. Rendall-Araujo described the core elements of the program:
”Welcome Baby provides parents of newborns with a visit from a Family Resource Specialist at birth. Staff at hospitals screen parents for needs and possible developmental delays. If needs are identified, the family is connected to voluntary community programs.”
Jon Doll indicates that there is enough funding to hire the CPC coordinator for three years, thanks to generous grants and donations. The CPC is still seeking funding to hire a full-time Family Resource Specialist to do the Welcome Baby visits.
What a nice way to kick off the new year!
