Chris Evert visits FRC

The Drug Abuse Foundation's Family Resiliency Center (FRC) provides substance abuse treatment and prevention services in south Florida. The program is located at the Siemens-Evert Comprehensive Service Campus in Delray Beach and serves 75 participants.

The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida is excited to partner with the FRC to bring much needed support to families struggling with substance abuse and addiction. The partnership provides for two components: the Family Engagement Center and the Family Support/Living Skills Center. Within the Family Engagement Center component, families participate in the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), which consists of 14 60-minute parent, child and family sessions. The program sessions occur weekly for residential clients and their family members. Upon discharge from the residential program, participants transition into the community SFP classes which includes participation in one Applied Skills Lab per month. Observations and feedback are provided by the program facilitators on the effective use of skills learned during the parent training sessions. SFP significantly reduces problem behaviors, delinquency and alcohol and drug abuse, improves social competencies and school performance, and reduces child maltreatment as parents strengthen bonds with their children and learn more effective parenting skills. 

Within the Family Support/ Living Skills component, families complete a Child and Family Social Needs Assessment which assists the program in linking families to a variety of living skills workshops such as personal budgeting, employment support, nutrition and general health classes. These workshops are conducted five days a week. The program also assists families with accessing resources such as childcare, immunizations and other social supports that build and sustain healthy and resilient families.

Prevent Child Abuse Florida, the Florida Department of Children and Families and more than a dozen of our partners in prevention invite you, your family and friends to attend Pinwheels in the Park. This free event will be held at E. Peck Greene Park in downtown Tallahassee on Saturday April 5, 2014 from 9 to noon.

Join us for a fun morning out for the entire family! Parents and caregivers will receive information about positive parenting, healthy child growth and development, and services available to families in our community. Everyone will enjoy a variety of top-notch family-friendly entertainment.

This event is part of Florida's Pinwheels for Prevention campaign to change the way we think about prevention. The campaign symbol, a blue and silver pinwheel, is a reminder that we all have a role to play in ensuring every child has an equal opportunity for a happy childhood and bright future. For more information, visit http://www.ounce.org/capevent.html  .

Robert Henderson, Capital City Kiwanis Club; Necia Little, Florida Department of Children and Families; Carol McNally, Healthy Families Florida; Chadricka Hunter (parent); Pam Banks, Healthy Families Gadsden/Leon; Wanda Jones, Healthy Families Gadsden/Leon;  Patsy Robinson (parent)

The Capital City Kiwanis Club provided $1,600 for Pack 'N Plays to Healthy Families Florida in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families' Safe Sleep Campaign. The Pack 'N Plays will help provide safe sleeping environments for infants in an effort to prevent tragic, accidental deaths. The funds are the first large donation for the Florida Safe Sleep Campaign.

"The Capital City Kiwanis Club is proud to partner with Healthy Families Florida and to join DCF's Safe Sleep campaign. We felt compelled to get involved because accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for infants under age one," Kiwanis Club President Bob Henderson said. As of November, 143 alleged sleep-related infant deaths have been reported to the Florida Abuse Hotline statewide.

Healthy Families and Kiwanis share a strong mutual commitment to investing in the critical years from birth through age five that lay the foundation for healthy child development and future success. For more than 55 years, the Capital City Kiwanis Club has been working to make Tallahassee a better place to live and work by providing services which are beyond the scope of government. Healthy Families Florida, a home visiting program proven to prevent child abuse and neglect, is funded by the Florida Legislature and administered by the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida in partnership with DCF.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep ALONE, on their BACKS and in a CRIB. Cribs should be clear of items like blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, strings/cords, sleep positioners and bumper pads. Babies should sleep in their own cribs, as the risk of infant death is 40 times higher for babies who sleep in adult beds.

For more safe sleep information, free resources, video PSAs and an interview with a mother impacted by unsafe sleep, visit www.MyFLFamilies.com/SafeSleep .

Many birth defects happen very early during pregnancy, sometimes before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Not all birth defects can be prevented; but women can increase their chances of having healthy babies by managing existing health conditions and adopting healthy behaviors before becoming pregnant. Some steps women can take to get ready for healthy pregnancies include:

Take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Folic acid is a B vitamin. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body at least one month before and during pregnancy, it can help prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine (spina bifida). Women can get folic acid from fortified foods or supplements, or a combination of the two, in addition to a varied diet rich in folate.

Avoid alcohol at any time during pregnancy. When a woman drinks alcohol so does her unborn baby. Alcohol that's in the woman's blood passes through the placenta to her baby through the umbilical cord. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a baby to be born with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The best advice is to stop drinking alcohol when you start trying to get pregnant.

Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke. The dangers of smoking during pregnancy include premature birth, certain birth defects and infant death. Even being around tobacco smoke puts a woman and her unborn baby at risk. Quitting smoking before getting pregnant is best. For a woman who is already pregnant, quitting as early as possible can still help protect against some health problems for the baby, such as low birth weight. It's never too late to quit smoking.   

Prevent infections. Women's exposure to infections can be harmful to their unborn babies and may even cause birth defects. Some easy steps to prevent infections include hand washing, cooking meat until its well done, and staying away from people who have an infection.

Talk to a health care provider about taking any medications. We know certain medications including prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary or herbal products can cause serious birth defects if they are taken during pregnancy. If a woman is pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, she should not stop taking medications she needs or begin taking new medications without first talking with her doctor.

 
Talk to your doctor about vaccinations (shots). Most vaccinations are safe and recommended during pregnancy. Some vaccines protect women against infections that can cause birth defects. Having the right vaccinations at the right time can help keep a woman and her baby healthy.    

Reach and maintain a healthy weight. A woman who is obese before pregnancy is at a higher risk for complications during pregnancy. Obesity also increases the risk of several serious birth defects. If a woman is overweight or obese, she should talk with her doctor about ways to reach a healthy weight before she gets pregnant.

Keep diabetes under control. Poor control of diabetes during pregnancy increases the chances for birth defects and other problems for the baby. It can also cause serious complications for the woman. Proper healthcare before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects and other poor outcomes.

See a health care professional regularly. Women planning a pregnancy should be sure to see their doctor and start prenatal care as soon as they think they might be pregnant. It is important to see the doctor regularly throughout pregnancy, so women should keep all their prenatal care appointments.

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but it also can be stressful. Knowing that you are doing all that you can to get ready for pregnancy, staying healthy during pregnancy, and giving your baby a healthy start in life will help you to have peace of mind.

Dianjun Ma, Douglas Sessions Jr.

Congratulations to Employee of the Quarter, Diajun Ma! Dianjun has been the network administrator at OPFF since 2001.

When coworkers are faced with computer issues, Dianjun immediately arrives to resolve the problem. His fingers fly across the keyboard as he resolves every imaginable issue. And he does it all with a smile! Dianjun has a great sense of humor and is a pleasure to work with. His unique skills, knowledge and abilities keep us running smoothly!

Dianjun came to Tallahassee from China in 1992 and earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Florida State University in 1995. Dianjun and his wife, Yanfang, have one daughter, Lina, who is a first year high school student. In his spare time, Dianjun enjoys fishing and playing volleyball.

Thank you Dianjun for your dedication and hard work!

The Ounce of Prevention Fund's biennial reports briefly describe our investments in innovative prevention and early intervention programs that improve the life outcomes of Florida's at-risk children and their families. Click on the image above to read our 2009-2011 Biennial Report.

To read the latest Florida Children's Initiative newsletter visit,

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