Reading Hospital - Tower Health is participating in the “Safe Families for Children™” (SFFC) program. SFFC surrounds families with caring, compassionate community. The program helps remove barriers so expectant and new mothers can attend important medical appointments during pregnancy and the postpartum period, offers early intervention services, and provides child abuse prevention. The program is grant funded by The Friends of Reading Hospital (The Friends) and the PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
“Many of our moms are lacking appropriate social supports to assist with childcare when they have a medical appointment,” said Desha Dickson, Associate Vice President of Community Wellness at Reading Hospital. “Because of this challenge, some of our patients miss as many as three visits during an average pregnancy and as many 14 during a high-risk pregnancy.”
In partnership with Reading Hospital, the SFFC program will support mothers and the family unit by providing childcare assistance during medical appointments. Patients can work with Host(s)/Host families while they are expecting and throughout the first year of the child’s life.
The program, currently being piloted with women participating in the hospital’s Soft-Landing Program, has a goal to provide childcare assistance to 50 patients within the first year. The hospital has partnered with Bethany Christian Services to identify host families. The Safe Families for Children Reading Hospital Support Program has three objectives:
- Family Support and Stabilization supports parents who are struggling because of limited social support and lack of extended family members who can care for their child/children. Host Families are trained and encouraged to create a long, supportive relationship with the family that extends outside of the formal SFFC relationship.
- Early intervention provides a safe alternative to a formal foster care placement. Clients will be given the support and resources needed to remove childcare barriers, improve outcomes for the families, and help mothers accomplish their personal goals.
- Child Abuse Prevention provides an at-risk mother with a connection to a vetted and trained volunteer Host/Host Family who will safely care for her child without the threat of losing custody, helping to avert potential episodes of abuse or neglect. Hosting arrangements will give biological parents the time they need to work with Reading Hospital to complete the Soft-Landing Program.
Ms. Dickson added, “The Safe Families for Children program is unique and has the potential to serve as a model for extending the community safety net for children and families in at-risk environments. We know that problems in families are often episodic. Most parents go through periods in which their ability to function and meet the needs of their children vary. External stressors such as housing, finances, unemployment, or lack of extended family support can challenge strengths and magnify weaknesses. The episodic nature of this program can provide mentoring and support for families that will aim to stabilize their family unit.”
Through the SFFC, parents can make a Hosting Arrangement for their children with the Hosts/Host Family while parents retain full-legal custody of their children. This program intervenes before the state child welfare system takes custody. And, most importantly, parents are never punished or shamed for their difficulties. Research shows a parent will likely seek help voluntarily if they know their child will be well cared for and that they won’t be judged.
Safe Families for Children believes biological parents are more empowered when they maintain control over decisions regarding the care of their children. The training provided to the Host family on trauma-informed approaches, de-escalation, and inclusion means biological parents will be increasingly eager to ask for assistance and decreasing the likelihood of State intervention in the future.
Sharon Keating, President, The Friends of Reading Hospital, added, “The Friends are committed to making a lasting impact on the health and wellness of our community. We are proud to have funded important health and wellness programs for patients, the community, and the hospital for 131 years.”
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, Tower Health Transplant Institute, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians and providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for five consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.