Lake County Office of Education Healthy Start

Healthy Start is a statewide initiative placing comprehensive support services for children and families at individual school sites. It gives schools, in partnership with public and private service providers, a unique opportunity to restructure systems to better meet the needs of children and families.

Through a wide range of community-based services and external referral resources, Healthy Start provides families with the support they need to enable their children to attend school healthy and ready to learn. Healthy Start removes barriers to accessing services, especially dental and health services for children and families. To view the list of sites and contact information, use the link in left column.

 

Programs/Services

• Comprehensive case management

• School advocacy

• Student groups

• Individual & family counseling through Safe Schools/Healthy Students

• Nutrition Education

• Immunizations and CHDP exams through Lake County Public Health

• Dental, Vision, Hearing, & Health screenings and referrals

• Referrals to support groups for anger management

• Social development and parenting classes

• Clothing

• Links to county agencies for other basic needs

Additional Resources:

• Transportation to appointments

• Small appliance loans

• P.A.L (Pediculosis Anti-Lice Program) in partnership with Lake County Department of Social Services, which provides head-lice education, treatment and supplies.

SUCCESS

Ana Santana, the bilingual case manager at Lake County Healthy

Start, told this story about a Family Pro participant (our Differential Response

Program):

"I am working with a young mom who has four children and is just

recently in recovery for drug use. She was reported to CPS because she

was hitting and yelling at her children. We connected and started working

together - I go out to her home weekly. One of her goals was to "take better

care" of her kids, without using physical punishment, so we began

working on developing nurturing parenting skills.

One day when I was visiting, one of the kids started hitting the little

one (about 3 years old) who is deaf. The older one was shouting at his little

brother and hitting him. I was worried that the mom would start yelling at

them both and hit the older child. But instead she went over to the kids, got

down to their level and in a soft, gentle voice told the older one "Instead of

yelling at him and hitting him, just hold his hands to get his attention..." and

she went on to help him to communicate with his little brother. I was

amazed. I gave her lots of praise for her approach. It was just so great!"

~Written by Joan Reynolds, Healthy Start Director