GoodStart and Healthy Families
Giving Families Strength and Support
The mainstay of our prevention efforts is our GoodStart/Healthy Families program, serving nearly 5,000 families across Massachusetts every year. Our goal is to give families and communities the strength and support they need to raise children who are safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
Healthy Families
Healthy Families Massachusetts is a statewide home visiting program administered by the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund. Healthy Families offers first-time parents ages 20 and under the information and individual support they need to raise healthy, happy and safe kids. MSPCC is the lead agency providing Healthy Families in five areas: Springfield, Holyoke, Worcester, Lawrence, and Lowell.
For families in need of support, we offer a comprehensive program of services delivered where they have been shown to have the greatest impact - in the home. Services are presented as an integrated package designed specifically to meet the needs of each family.
How do we get children and families off to a good start?
- We make sure parents have the skills, information, and self-confidence they need.
- We give parents the tools to manage stress, keep their families strong and their children safe.
- We offer services in the home and in community settings.
- We offer a tapestry of services, so we can tailor services to each individual family.
- We offer a wide array of parenting tips.
How do GoodStart and Healthy Families work?
We know all parents want to provide their children with the best, the healthiest, and the brightest future. We also know that many parents want help to be the best parents they can be. We offer a wide variety of services to help you help your baby, such as:
- Parenting information and education.
- Education and support groups in hospitals, clinics, and community settings.
- One-on-one education and support in the home.
- Newborn home visiting.
- Home visitors address the needs of infants and toddlers.
- Home visitors teach about health, child development, and bonding with the baby.
- Home visitors connect the family with parent and play groups as well as other needed services like insurance, housing, job training, and child care.
- Community connections.
- Home visitors work with families to make connections to services that will help them.
- We'll connect you to medical care, job training, counseling, ESL, housing, whatever you need to help you be the best parent you can be.
What are GoodStart and Healthy Families Services?
- Home visits
- Parenting education
- Parent support groups
- Child development instruction
- Play groups for infants and toddlers
- Nutrition counseling
- Connections to other MSPCC and community services and support
GoodStart Reads! GOODSTART READS! is the early literacy component of MSPCC's nationally recognized GoodStart child abuse prevention program.
MSPCC has partnered with the SHARING BOOKS WITH BABIES program at Boston Medical Center, home of the national Reach Out and Read program. Sharing Books with Babies provides training and technical assistance for program supervisors and front-line staff working with children and families in agencies like MSPCC in order to promote early literacy.
More Information
For more information on GoodStart and Healthy Families, please contact an office near you.