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Indian River County Healthy Start Coalition, Inc. TLC Newborn Program Children's Services Advisory Committee Grant 2007-08 C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION (Entire Section C, I — 6, not to exceed two pages. 1 . List Priority Needs area addressed. Parental Support and Education. By serving a majority of parents in the county (86% from 7/ 1 /06- 12/31 /06), TLC captures a high risk population of mothers and teen parents who have refused to be screened or assessed for other programs and services. These high risk parents will accept non-intrusive TLC services and are more likely to reveal risks and accept education from TLC family associates. 2. Briefly describe program activities including location of services. Parents are introduced to TLC at IRMC where a TLC family associate explains the program and explores their concerns and support system. IRMC personnel direct TLC associates to patients with breastfeeding needs. TLC provides education and guidance for proper positioning and reading the baby' s feeding cues. Moms are called within 1 -2 days after discharge to check on progress and to offset potential problems . Calls are made regularly based on need until the baby is six months of age. Parents, teen mothers and caregivers discuss their concerns with TLC associates. They are provided education about sleep patterns, breastfeeding, family dynamics, postpartum check ups, outside support, and emotional disposition as well as baby' s recognition of parents, bonding, discomforts experienced, vocalizing, check-ups, and immunizations. For the entire first year parents receive an age appropriate monthly newsletter. It describes and prepares parents for developmental milestones their baby will be achieving and has a special column for fathers. A private TLC Family Internet site has recently been implemented as a new outreach tool . It is available to parents 24/7. Teens are quick to identify with this method of posting questions and receiving answers to their problems. When critical needs are identified by TLC, (i.e. domestic violence, postpartum depression, or substance abuse) the family is referred to appropriate community resources . 3. Briefly describe how your program addresses the stated need/problem. Describe how your program follows a recognized "best practice" (see definition on page 12 of the Instructions) and provide evidence that indicates proposed strategies are effective with target population. TLC provides a professional support and education system for parents and teen parents with newborns. Teens are especially ill prepared to respond to the needs of a newborn. Parents share their issues and readily accept best practice (research based) education and guidance from TLC on problems related to stress, depression, breastfeeding, family issues and child development. TLC improves parenting skills and builds confidence through education and support. During the first years of brain development, early child/parent experiences create patterns for lifelong learning, behaviors, and physical and mental health. When systems are put in place to monitor the development of all children continuously over time, problems that require attention can be identified early and appropriate responses can be made.4 Through conversation with TLC associates, families gain confidence to parent and breastfeed with appropriate responses to baby' s cries and physical needs. A parent ' s response to their baby' s cries can be a positive or negative environment for baby' s mental and emotional health. Currently (7/ 1 /06- 12/31 /06) 86% of families of newborns in Indian River County use TLC services. Confident parents armed with appropriate responses to their baby' s needs create a nurturing environment that is good 4 National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The Science of Early Childhood Development. 2007 5