The Youth Service Bureau (YSB) in St. Joseph County has been making significant strides in increasing its capacity to provide life-changing services for infants, toddlers and their families. With a special focus on early intervention and holistic support for at-risk single mothers, YSB has been able to help families navigate critical challenges. Thanks to the Early Years Initiative, YSB has expanded its Young Moms’ Self-Sufficiency Program, bringing much-needed resources to single mothers who are at risk of homelessness.
Breaking Down Barriers: Expanding Capacity to Serve More Families
Hiring a fourth home visitor to serve families has been a significant development. Before this expansion, many families faced longer wait times to access YSB’s services. Now, YSB can help more families and spread awareness about its vital program through community outreach efforts, including attending moms’ groups. “We are very grateful to have these kinds of funds,” says Kiana Jackson, Youth Service Bureau supervisor. “When you work for smaller nonprofits, you often have to run at a deficit and don’t get an opportunity to increase capacity. Having an opportunity to pay for additional staff and training is really helpful for the communities we serve.”
The new case manager, hired in May, quickly filled a full caseload and has become a vital member of the YSB team. This expansion has allowed YSB to increase the number of families served and enhance the level of service for children from birth to age three. By investing in the education and training of their staff, YSB has empowered its team to deliver more intensive and tailored services to families.
Personalized Support for Vulnerable Families
YSB’s approach focuses on eliminating barriers that prevent families from receiving necessary care and guidance. Case managers work closely with 16-20 families at a time, offering two-hour, home-based visits each week. These sessions are designed to build trust and provide families with essential information about early child development, safe sleep practices, feeding and navigating child care options. They also help families access Child Care Development and Fund (CCDF) vouchers, which provide financial assistance for child care, making it easier for parents to return to work or continue their employment.
YSB aims to make its services as holistic as possible. They tailor their services to each family’s unique needs. For example, if a parent can’t make it to their appointments, they provide transportation. If they don’t know how to safely feed or care for their baby, YSB steps in to educate and guide them. Their goal is to remove any barriers standing between these families and the support they need.
Early Intervention: Catching Delays Before It’s Too Late
One of the primary focuses of YSB’s program is identifying developmental delays early. Research shows that children who don’t receive intervention by age three are at risk of missing the opportunity to access vital services such as Head Start or preschool programs through school corporations. With their expanded capacity, YSB is now able to catch these delays sooner and help parents advocate for their children’s needs at doctors’ appointments.
Case managers play a crucial role in this process by empowering parents to ask important questions about their children’s development and social-emotional milestones like eye contact, rolling over or motor skills. The YSB team uses role-playing exercises to boost parents’ confidence and emotional awareness, making sure they feel prepared to speak up for their children’s needs.
Building Skills for Lifelong Success
YSB has also invested in additional training for its staff, equipping them to provide specialized services such as Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). This program helps mothers and children who have experienced trauma develop stronger emotional bonds, reducing the likelihood of those traumas being passed to future generations.
Additionally, YSB case managers are certified car seat technicians, ensuring families know how to transport their children safely. They also utilize the “Talk with Your Baby” curriculum, which encourages parents to engage with their children through regular conversation, reading and interaction. This program is particularly effective in helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds build their language skills, ensuring they are not at a disadvantage when they enter kindergarten.
Some parents might feel unsure of their role in teaching their children language skills, but YSB helps them realize that they don’t need to be experts. Something as simple as reading the back of a macaroni and cheese box while making dinner can expose children to new words and boost their language development. Research shows that children from lower-income backgrounds can be exposed to thousands fewer words than their peers from more affluent families. YSB aims to close that gap by encouraging everyday conversations that help build vocabulary early on.
Empowering Parents to Be Champions for Their Children
YSB’s work is having a profound impact on the families they serve. Parents who have benefited from the program report feeling empowered to advocate for their children. With YSB’s support, they become their children’s most vocal champions, ensuring their needs are met at every stage of development. These families often share their successes with their social circles, spreading awareness about the benefits of early intervention and the availability of childcare vouchers, which helps children get a head start on their education.
The results of YSB’s work speak for themselves. The number of children referred to First Steps, a program that provides early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, has increased significantly. By helping families address developmental delays before age three, YSB is setting these children on a path to success.
Looking to the Future
With its expanded capacity and enhanced services, YSB is poised to continue making a difference in the lives of vulnerable families. By focusing on early intervention, empowering parents, and removing barriers to care, YSB is creating brighter futures for the youngest members of the community.
The ongoing success of the Youth Service Bureau demonstrates the incredible impact that dedicated support and early intervention can have on at-risk families. YSB is equipped to provide the services and resources that families need to thrive, ensuring a stronger, healthier start for generations to come.
"Early intervention is essential for ensuring that families and children achieve the best outcomes. When parents acquire healthy skills, they can foster strong relationships with their children, supporting their growth. Children are especially vulnerable from birth to age three, a time when they are most impressionable. Many families are facing hardships and adversity, requiring tailored education and support. Understanding what to do can be particularly challenging during times of crisis or when lacking support. When parents are educated and supported, they can nurture their children into happy, healthy members of society while also enhancing their own well-being.”
1 Comment
Such a great article!