Young Mom's Self-Sufficiency Program assists young mothers to identify realistic academic and employment goals, improve the health and nutrition of family members, increase a personal sense of competence and self-esteem, and foster a healthy relationship between father and children.

Young mothers can get it together - if the right kind of help is available. The Young Mom's Self-Sufficiency Program puts them on track toward self-sufficiency. This program provides opportunities for young mothers to overcome the many and complex barriers to self-sufficiency and to reduce the life stressors that accompany early parenthood.

The Young Mom's Self-Sufficiency Program helps participants:

• Increase their knowledge of child development and parenting strategies
• Identify their knowledge of child development and parenting strategies
• Improve the health and nutrition of family members
• Increase a personal sense of competence and self-esteem
• Foster a healthy relationship between fathers and children.

This program is open to young mothers or pregnant teens between the ages of 16 and 24 years old and their children who reside in St. Joseph County. Young fathers are also encouraged to participate.

In addition to the above services, the Young Mom's program is one of several other agencies in the community providing Parents as Teachers education. Parents as Teachers is an early childhood parent education program that supports parents in their role as their child's first and most influential teacher. Parents as Teachers provides parents with information on child development, prenatally through kindergarten entry, and involves parents in learning activities with their child that encourage language and intellectual growth, physical and social-emotional skills. The program is a voluntary primary prevention program that offers personal visits by a certified parent educator, group meetings, screenings of overall development, language, hearing and vision, and helps families access other community services.

Referrals are voluntary and may include self-referrals or referrals generated by another agency. Prospective participants can call the program or visit the offices between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Participants complete an initial application and a comprehensive needs assessment interview. There is no charge for participating in the program.

For more information about the Young Mom's Self-Sufficiency Program, contact Brenda Matuszkiewicz at 574-235-9231.

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