Healthy Families Florida
Florida Increases Investment in Child Abuse Prevention, Restores Healthy Families Florida Home Visiting Program in Six Counties
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The Florida Legislature appropriated, and Governor Scott approved, a $3.9 million increase in funding for Healthy Families Florida, a nationally accredited network of community-based home visiting programs. The funds will be used to strengthen the 37 existing community-based programs, expanding 14 of them to serve additional families, and restoring services in six counties that lost services after the program suffered a $10 million budget cut back in 2010. "With this budget, Florida's leaders have embraced the wisdom that an ounce of prevention outweighs a pound of cure. Investing in Healthy Families Florida, a program proven to prevent child abuse and neglect in high-risk families is a sound investment that will pay dividends for generations," said Healthy Families Executive Director Jennifer Ohlsen. "Not only are Healthy Families' home visiting services far less costly than treating the consequences of child abuse after it occurs, they promote healthy child growth and development - the key to building safe and prosperous communities throughout Florida," Ohlsen added.
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Innovative Initiatives
Parramore Kidz Zone Baby Institute
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The Ounce of Prevention Fund is excited to partner with Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ) and the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County to provide the PKZ Baby Institute to families with young children in the Parramore Heritage community in Orlando. The Baby Institute is a nine week parent education project for parents of children ages birth to five. It is designed to help parents develop the knowledge and skills that result in positive parenting, which leads to better school readiness outcomes for their children.
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| | Parents Graduate from PKZ Baby Institute |
The program is comprised of two classes; one class for parents of infants and one for parents of toddlers. Classes cover a range of topics including attachment, social, emotional and brain development, language and cognitive development, health and nutrition, discipline, family traditions and pride in cultural heritage. The program also provides pre- and post-program testing, goal setting and journaling, which chronicles the parent's growth and development throughout the nine week course.
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Prevent Child Abuse Florida
Pinwheels for Prevention |
 Pinwheels for Prevention is a national campaign to change the way we think about preventing child abuse. Florida's Pinwheels for Prevention campaign is implemented by PCA Florida and a wide range of state-and community-level partners who share the belief that all families deserve to live in supportive communities that provide safe and healthy experiences for their children. This year, we were encouraged to see so many state agencies and community partners embracing Pinwheels for Prevention and recognizing their roles in strengthening families and preventing child abuse before it ever begins. The public pinwheel planting ceremonies and press conferences hosted by the Florida departments of Education, Health, Management Services, Agriculture, Corrections, and Economic Opportunity, as well as the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Guardian ad Litem and General Federation of Women's Clubs were a testament to our changing perspective on prevention - from one that places blame and prescribes punishment, to one that acknowledges our shared responsibility and seeks to support families and care for children to ensure health and prosperity for all.
Florida's Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign is funded primarily through the Florida Department of Children and Families; but, since pinwheels cannot be purchased with state funds, PCA Florida collects private donations and coordinates bulk purchases to minimize costs to partnering organizations. Despite a dockworker strike on the West Coast that caused significant,
 unexpected delays in the delivery of pinwheels to Florida this spring, PCA Florida was still able to distribute 50,000 pinwheels to partners throughout the state who organized more than 96 Pinwheels for Prevention events. From Children's Week at the Capitol, to the Family Fun Fair in Lakeland, to the Human Trafficking Training in Key West, these events each addressed the need to not only increase awareness, but also encourage actions that provide concrete support to children and families. PCA Florida also hosted the inaugural Wear Blue Day at the Capitol event and established an online photo contest to promote participation in Wear Blue Day throughout Florida. Wear Blue Day is an easy way for people everywhere to participate in raising awareness and promoting investments in effective child abuse prevention programs. First Lady Ann Scott and several state agency heads participated in Wear Blue Day at the Capitol and dozens of individuals and organizations shared their Wear Blue Day photos on PCA Florida's Facebook page to enter the online photo contest. With 141 "Likes", the photo submitted by Manatee County Sheriff's Office Child Protection Unit won the contest and received a gift basket containing 1 box of pinwheels, 10 pinwheel lapel pins, 3 blue awareness bears and 10 blue wrist bands from PCA Florida. |
| | Pam Stewart, Ann Scott and Anita Odom |
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Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic
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The 25th annual Chris Evert Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic and Black Tie Gala will be held November 20-22, 2015 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center and the celebrated Boca Raton Resort and Club. This multi-day event features two days of Pro-Celebrity Tennis, the Classic Cocktail Party, Tennis with Chrissie and Friends at the Pro-Am and the Pro-Celebrity Gala, an elegant, first-class evening of entertainment, dining and dancing. Don't forget about the exciting live auction at the Gala with exceptional, one-of-kind items that you will have to see to believe!
Since 1989, tennis legend and Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida board member Chris Evert has hosted the event as part of her ongoing campaign to prevent drug abuse and child neglect in Florida. Many of Evert's celebrity friends join her to help raise funds.
For more information or to purchase tickets for this year's event, visit www.chrisevert.org |
Employee of the Year!
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Congratulations to Stephanie Bull and Chengyou Chi who tied to win the Ounce of Prevention Fund's Employee of the Year award!
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| | Doug Sessions and Stephanie Bull |
Stephanie has been a Program Specialist with Healthy Families Florida (HFF) since 2008. Prior to joining HFF, she worked for the Department of Children and Families and Community Based Care. Her extensive experience with human services programs makes her an excellent asset to HFF. Stephanie grew up in Tallahassee and has made it her lifelong home. She attended Florida State University where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Family, Child and Consumer Sciences. She is married with three daughters ages 17, 15 and 11.
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| | Doug Sessions and Chengyou Chi |
Chengyou has been a Senior Systems Developer with OPFF since 2000 and has twice earned the distinction of Employee of the Quarter and was also Employee of the Year in 2010-11. Chengyou is a graduate of Florida State University and he and his wife have three young children.
We would like to thank Chengyou and Stephanie for their dedication and commitment. We appreciate all their hard work!
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Florida Children's Initiative
To read the latest Florida Children's Initiative newsletter visit,
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