Building Healthy Families (BHF) is an independent, nonprofit parent support organization, offering personalized universal support and education for parents, caregivers and parents-to-be through the home visits program, parent education, resource library, Healthy Start, and Safe Visits program.  At BHF, we focus on child development, age-appropriate behavior, parent-child interaction, positive discipline, and family health and safety.  We promote family access to needed resources in the community, and advocate for children and families.

PROGRAMS

Wallowa Valley Healthy Start

Healthy Start is a voluntary home visiting and family support program that assists first-time families in giving their newborn children a “healthy start” in life.

Community Resource Team

The Community Resource Team (CRT) is a multi-agency, strength based planning process, which increases coordination to connect families (with children 0-17) with services in an effort to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors. The CRT members come together (one location-one time) to wrap services around the family—a “one stop” approach to providing services to families.  Personalized follow-up and individual family support is provided by Building Healthy Families.

Home Visits

Individual family support is available for Wallowa County families through home visiting. Home visits are voluntary, free and confidential, and are tailored to the individual family’s needs and interests. One-on-one parenting support allows for a relaxed, convenient and private session. Together with the home visitor, families identify needs or issues and are supported in parent-child interaction, positive discipline, understanding temperament, or with other parenting or family concerns.

Parent Education

Join our parent study groups offered for families with children 0-8 years old.  Pre-teen and teen classes offered in each school district each year.  We offer free childcare, meals, and accessible classroom.  Classes are offered at a minimal rate, with scholarships available.  Call for more information on class schedules, locations, and times.

Safe Visits

A community service program of supervised visits and monitored exchanges for children who would otherwise be unable to spend time with one of their parents.  The program focuses on the safety and best interests of domestic violence victims and their children.

Exploration: An Out-of-School-Time Alliance

Exploration is a pilot out-of-school-time community collaboration, housed at Wallowa School District.  The desired program outcomes include:  Keep Kids Safe; Support Working Families; Inspire Learning: Improve academic achievement.  During the 2007-2008 school year Exploration will operates Monday-Friday until May 16th.  During the 2008-2009 school year Exploration will operate Monday-Friday from October 20th- April 17th.  The program’s curriculum providers include: Wallowa Resources, OSU Extension Service, Wallowa County Library, Fishtrap, Wallowa Valley Music Alliance, and several local artist.  Exploration is offered to all Wallowa County children in grades K-4th.  If you are interested in volunteering please contact Building Healthy Families.

Literacy Link

Literacy Link will develop and expand services currently being provided by Building Healthy Families and the Wallowa County Library to populations not being reached or underserved.  Key project literacy components include the Parents As Teacher best-practice curriculum and the research-based Every Child Ready to Read @ your public library.  The curriculums will offer new family literacy services and enhance programs focusing on parent/caregiver education, children’s outreach literacy programs, and free literacy materials.

BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES
541-426-9411