Home Visiting Programs
Spero Family Services offers a wide range of home-visiting services to meet the ever-changing needs of children and families in our community. Our evidence-based interventions have been proven to be successful in supporting families. If you or someone you know would like more information about the support and education we offer, please contact us.
Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based approach to building strong families and communities.
Parents and Caregivers are matched with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years in life, from prenatal to age 3. Families with low income who live in Jefferson and Marion Counties and are experiencing multiple stressors are eligible for this service.
Goals of Parents as Teachers
- Increase parent knowledge of early childhood development.
- Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues.
- Prevent child abuse and neglect.
- Increase children’s school readiness and success.
Doula Services
A Doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and after childbirth. A Doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and after childbirth. Spero doulas will start working with you during your pregnancy providing visits and building a relationship with you. We will prioritize first-time moms, but will also be able to provide services for additional pregnancies. Doulas have been shown to reduce the length of labor and need for pain medications as well as help establish good breastfeeding routines.
Nurturing Parenting Program
The Nurturing Parenting Program is geared towards equipping families with essential skills through a 20-session program that involves meeting with a Family Intervention Specialist for at least an hour each week, for approximately six months. Its primary goal is to teach positive parenting behaviors to prevent families from relapsing, reduce the rate of juvenile delinquency, and break the cycle of abuse.
Nurturing Parenting Program is a family-centered initiative designed to build nurturing parenting skills.
The program caters to families with children aged 0-18 in Jefferson, Marion, Clay, Hamilton, Wayne, Crawford, Richland, Lawrence, Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Franklin, Washington, and Clinton Counties.
Mental Health/Juvenile Justice
The Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Initiative (MHJJI) facilitates the identification, screening, referral, and case monitoring of juveniles involved with, or at risk of becoming involved with, the juvenile justice system who are identified with a mental health issue. The initiative is aimed at strengthening linkages among the courts, probation, detention, schools, health care, mental health, and other community-based services. Participants are referred through community partners, including the probation offices within Jefferson and Marion Counties.
The goal is to address whatever issues exist so that they will have no further contact with the juvenile justice system.
