Teen parents face daunting challenges. That’s why the Center for Healthy Families provides a holistic, coordinated system of community support for young mothers and fathers. Founded by Donna James (see photo) and lead by Toshia Safford, the Center operates using a collaborative approach, relying on various organizations to create a network of support.
The goal of the Center is to provide the teens with economic and social self-sufficiency. “We want to make sure that their foundation is sustained and engaged, involving the family, involving the community,” explained Safford, the President and CEO of the Center.
The Center collaborates with 9 strategic partners, which together form Healthy Families Connection. Participating organizations include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, Center for Child & Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus City Schools, Columbus Early Learning Centers, The Columbus Urban League, Impact Community Action, Directions for Youth and Families, OhioHealth, The Ohio State University - Access Collaborative Program. The Center is the hub agency in the collaborative and each core partner provides a specific service. The Center focuses on five core areas of service provided by the partners, including leadership development and education, positive parenting, assessment/system evaluation, healthcare, and mentoring.
The young parents enter the program via a hub system, starting through one of the strategic partners or through self-referral. The teens participate in an assessment and evaluation program, which determines if the Center is a good fit and level of commitment the teen is willing to give.
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Christine
