Project First Step

About Project First Step

The Project First Step (PFS) program provides comprehensive support and family-centered education to parents and their children with the goal of promoting family health, unity, and independence. PFS works with pregnant women, parents, infants, children, and families to help build stability and structure in the family in an effort to preserve the family unit, promote unification, and ensure children lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

PFS focuses on three targeted outcomes:

  • Healthy Babies — to maximize the number of babies born healthy and full-term
  • Safe and Healthy Homes — to ensure that children live in a safe and healthy home environment
  • Preservation and Permanency — to increase the likelihood that children will reside in their biological home

Evidence-Based Programs

Period of Purple Crying is a program that teaches parents and caregivers about shaken baby syndrome. This training covers coping and soothing skills and teaches families about the period of time that infants have increased, unsoothable crying. Shaken baby is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in infants and is responsible for up to 80% of all infant deaths due to brain injuries. By educating the parents and caregivers, we hope to reduce or eliminate shaken baby syndrome with the clients we serve.

Seeking Safety is a program that targets parents who have experienced trauma, or have substance abuse problems. PFS staff can offer this program to their clients to help them develop coping skills and covers topics such as asking for help, setting boundaries, recovery thinking, red and green flags, life choices, coping with triggers, and more. This program is well supported by scientific research, with goals to reduce trauma and or substance abuse symptoms and increase safe coping skills in relationships, thinking, behavior, and emotions

Services

Prenatal Services

  • Works with pregnant women with disabilities, those at risk for preterm birth, and/or those at risk for having infants born with disabilities (open referrals, including self-referrals)
  • Services are provided throughout pregnancy and up to one year postpartum
  • High-risk population includes medically- compromised pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, improper or no medical care, intellectual disabilities, and mental health concerns
  • Uses a variety of nationally recognized teaching and assessment tools: infant simulator dolls with evidence-based curriculum, childbirth education classes, postpartum depression screening

Intensive Care Services

  • PFS component serving medically compromised children from birth to age three

Family Engagement Services

  • Serves families that have one or more family members with disabilities and are at risk of having their children removed from the home. Families in this group may deal with additional challenges for which we can assist
  • In select situations, families who have already had children removed from the home and who are seeking reunification can receive services
  • Service includes parenting videos with informed curriculum and child/family assessment tools

Homemaker Services

  • Service that addresses home conditions that pose a health and safety risk to children

Nurturing Parent Program

  • In our Nurturing Parent Program, Family Specialists will work on developing parenting skills with the belief that the maltreatment of children can be treated and prevented.  The curriculum is centered on replacing old, unwanted, and hurtful parenting patterns with newer, healthier patterns of pre-natal bonding and neonatal attachment.  Parents will also receive education in empathy that relates to positively responding to the needs of children; a discipline that maintains the dignity of children; and self-awareness of the adults’ own personal childhood; and a sense of empowerment to make good choices that promote personal and community health

 

MEET THE PROJECT FIRST STEP TEAM!

Lisa Kobusinski– Senior Family Specialist in Prenatal with 22 years of experience. DONA® Prenatal and Birth Doula certified. CAMS-I (Certified Anger Management Specialist-I). Trained in Breastfeeding Basics, Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Psychology of Addiction and Recovery, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & Stages, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Jolene Ottaviani– Family Specialist in Prenatal with 30 years of experience. DONA® Prenatal and Birth Doula trained. CAMS-I (Certified Anger Management Specialist-I). Trained in Breastfeeding Basics, Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Psychology of Addiction and Recovery, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & Stages, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Jennifer Bobango– Family Specialist in Family Stabilization with 16 years of experience. CAMS-I (Certified Anger Management Specialist-I). Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Psychology of Addiction and Recovery, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Shannon Adams– Family Specialist in Nurturing Parenting with 11 years of experience. Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Katelyn Lloyd– Family Specialist in Family Engagement and Prenatal with 6 years of experience. DONA® Prenatal and Birth Doula trained. CAMS-I (Certified Anger Management Specialist-I). Trained in Lamaze, Breast Feeding Basics, Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Psychology of Addiction and Recovery, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS. Currently enrolled at PennWest for a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

Anjelica Whren– Family Specialist in Family Engagement with 7 years of experience. Associate degree in Criminal Justice. Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Chyna Weems– Family Specialist in Family Engagement with 3 years of experience. Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS. Currently enrolled at Gannon University for a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Alyssa Root– Family Specialist in Family Engagement with 10 years of experience. Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work. Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Partners for Healthy Babies, Mental Health First Aid, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

Alyssa Anthony– Project First Step Manager. Bachelor of Science degree in Non-Profit Management/ Minor in Community Programs for Americans with Disabilities. 12 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with Mental Health, Intellectual Disabilities, and Autism. Trained in Seeking Safety, Period of Purple Crying, Healthy, and Safe, Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Nurturing Parenting, Partners for Healthy Babies, ASQ Ages & States, Recognizing Child Abuse, and NCFAS.

*All staff are working towards The Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals- Certified Family Support Professional (CFSP) certification.

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