Healthy Start of Clackamas County

(En Español)

"May all children and families be safe, happy and healthy."

Mission: “Promote and support positive parenting and healthy growth and development for all Clackamas County parents and their first-born children.”

HEALTHY START SERVICES ARE VOLUNTARY AND FREE!!
INCOME LEVEL DOES NOT MATTER.

Raising a family and having a child in today's world is a big responsibility. It's not always easy to know the "right" thing to do as a parent-who to turn to with a question or who to talk to when things seem overwhelming. We understand that you are your child's first and best teacher, and we want to help you be the best parent you can be. Every child deserves a healthy start!

Many new parents want information about how babies and young children grow and develop. They also want to know what they can do to best support their child’s healthy development and growing brain. Healthy Start is here to help with that by providing home visits and one-on-one parenting support to first time parents.

In recent years as researchers have studied the developing brain we have learned some very important things:

• The parent/child relationship is the foundation of the child’s healthy development.
• Children’s development depends on both the traits he or she was born with (nature) and what he or she experiences (nurture.)
• All areas of development (social/emotional/intellectual/language/motor) are linked. Each depends on, and influences, the others.
• What children experience, including how their parents respond to them, shapes their development as they adapt to the world.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTHY START?

Anyone in Clackamas County who is expecting or has had their first child in the past three months may be eligible to receive home visits and one-on-one parenting support. All other Clackamas County families with children ages 0-5 may join our play groups. Parenting classes are also offered through Camp Fire USA.

WHAT IS HEALTHY START?

We are a collaborative group of social services agencies, early childhood educators, family support workers and volunteers who offer support and services to parents of children ages 0-5 in Clackamas County. We offer a variety of services that give information about parenting, bonding with your baby, healthy infant growth and development as well as resources in your community.

HEALTHY START SERVICES

• One-on-one parenting support and home visits to first-time parents and their child
• Parent/child interactive playgroups throughout Clackamas County

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
You can tap into our services at no charge because we are funded by grants and private donations. We can answer your questions over the phone, come to your home and meet your family, visit you in the hospital when you have your baby-whatever is convenient and easy for you.

Call 503-546-6533 for information about home visits and referrals (Spanish too!).

If you would like to fill out our on line form and receive a phone call with more information about Healthy Start, please click here, fill in your information and click submit. We’ll be happy to have someone contact you and help find the resources that will best fit your needs.

Call 503-655-8601 for parent child interactive playgroups and volunteering information.

Hearing impaired, Speech impaired or Deaf TTY 1-800-735-2900 (Relay).
To FAX a referral: 503-655-8145

HEALTHY START PARTNERS
Clackamas County Children's Commission
Clackamas County Social Services - Volunteer Connection
Clackamas County Office for Children and Families

Clackamas County Office for Children and Families
Contact: Erin Deahn, Healthy Start Program Manager – 503-496-3937
FAX: 503-655-8145
edeahn@co.clackamas.or.us