Project First Step

About Project First Step

Project First Step (PFS) is a home visiting program that connects Family Specialists to those who can benefit from guidance and support through evidence-based programs and curriculum.

PFS’ goals are to reduce childhood trauma, neglect, and abuse by educating and supporting families to help them create a safe and healthy environment for their children to thrive.  PFS works with pregnant women, parents, infants, children, and families to help build stability and structure to preserve the family unit 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

What makes someone a good fit for PFS services?

• Mental Health
• Suspected Intellectual Disability or physical impairment/disability
• Drug and/or alcohol addiction
• Domestic violence
• Lack of social support
• Housing conditions
• Chronic referrals to the Office of Children and Youth
• Truancy

Services

Prenatal Services

• Assists pregnant mothers with a high-risk pregnancy, or new mothers with needed support, advocacy, and parenting education
• High-risk population includes medically- compromised pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, improper or no medical care, intellectual disabilities, and mental health concerns
• Uses nationally recognized teaching and assessment tools with childbirth education classes and postpartum depression screening

Family Engagement Services

• Serves families that are at risk of having their children removed from the home
• In select situations, families who have already had children removed from the home and who are seeking reunification can receive services
• Services include training, coaching, and support through evidence-based programs and curriculum

Homemaker Services

• Addresses home conditions that pose a health and safety risk to children
• Assists with house cleaning and training on how to clean
• PFS provides strategies, resources, and tools to help families create and maintain a safe, healthy home environment

Nurturing Parent Program

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

Meet the PFS 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.

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.

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.

Alyssa Anthony– Project First Step Director. Bachelor of Science degree in Non-Profit Management/ Minor in Community Programs for Americans with Disabilities. 13 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.

Questions?

Call Alyssa Anthony at 814-315-1714, email alyssa.anthony@ehca.org, or click the link below and reference PFS on the contact form.