Extension
It Starts With Us
Improve Individual and Family Development and Mental Health (FCS)
Promote Healthy Lifestyles
Diane Mason
Family Development General
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
Healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Co-habiting, same-sex, divorced, widowed and single households are the new majority. Children who live absent from their biological fathers are two to three times more likely to be poor, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parents. In 2013, 25 percent of Kentucky children lived in poverty, ranking Kentucky 40th in the nation. Children who live in poverty are more likely to have learning disabilities and developmental delays. Furthermore, children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. County Extension Council, the Boone County Family and Consumer Sciences Advisory Committee and the Boone County Extension Homemaker Council have indicated mental health issues, substance abuse awareness, and family strengtheing are priorities for Boone County Extension to address.
Kentucky families are able to:
•Care for the physical and mental health and well-being of each individual over the long term
Address addiction and substance use issues within their communities
•Foster the optimal development of children and youth
•Practice parental leadership skills
•Build personal strengths and self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making.
•Embrace people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
•Reach out with empathy to people dealing with severe stress
•Access community resources when needed
•Become volunteers to make their community a better place to live for everyone
Increase by 1% number of people who:
•Set and used family rules, routines and limited screen time
•Eat family meals together three or more times a week
•Reduce stress levels, make time for selves, and/or made wise decisions about money, time, etc.
•Play and spend quality time with child daily
•Can identify realistic expectations for child’s tasks
•Report using preventive and positive discipline techniques in response to misbehavior, and set and enforce logical consequences
•Practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships
•Access community agencies and resources when needed
•Engage in community outreach activities
One percent of program participants:
•Commit to set family rules regarding eating together, limiting screen time, active play and exercise, set routines
•Intend to manage stress; make time for self; listen, talk, bond with family members; read with child daily; teach responsibility in use of money, time, etc.
•Can state realistic behavior expectations
•Can discuss discipline vs. punishment, and preventive and positive discipline techniques
•Commit to using logical consequences for misbehavior
•Intend to contact community agencies for assistance when appropriate
Initial Outcome: knowledge gained in family health and parenting skills are improved
Indicator:
Number of individuals (parents or caregivers) reporting improved personal skills (such as increased personal strengths, interpersonal communication and life skills to strengthen families)
Number of individuals reporting behaviors that foster the optimal development of children and youth
Method:pre post survey and testing
Timeline: one year
Intermediate Outcome:
Number of individuals (parents or caregivers) demonstrating nurturing attitudes and behaviors by caring for the health and well-being of individuals throughout the lifespan.
Indicator: positive parenting and disciplines are exercised
Method: surveys, interviews, observations
Timeline: two years
Long-term Outcome:
Number of parents and/or caregivers who practice one or more parental leadership skills such as parental empathy, proper ways of establishing family rules, and concrete support their child to develop a sense of positive self-worth
Number of individuals actively engaged in collaborations and programs that build community capacity to nurture families
Indicator: better communities and productive healthy families
Method: observations, surveys, data collection
Timeline: four years
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Mental Health First Aid
Content or Curriculum: Mental Health First Aid materials
Inputs: educator, materials
Date: September 2021
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Getting Our Hearts Right
Content or Curriculum: University of Arkansas curriculum
Inputs: handouts, curriculum
Date: November 2021
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Making the Most of Your Life Journey
Content or Curriculum: University of Arkansas curriculum
Inputs: handouts, curriculum
Date: September 2021
Author: Elizabeth Evans
Major Program: Family Development General
Children begin learning well before they reach the classroom. They begin learning at home with their parents and therefore parents play a crucial role in kindergarten readiness. When parents are more involved with early childhood education and development, it is more likely that they will be involved in kindergarten and throughout a child’s school experience. Low-income families often face many barriers to providing early educational opportunities that are high-quality for their children.
Author: Elizabeth Evans
Major Program: Family Development General
For many, pets have always been an integral piece of the family unit. As a result of Covid-19, many more families added pets with more than 23 million American households adopting a pet during the pandemic according to the ASPCA. A MetLife survey conducted among pet insurance policy holders found that only 2% had taken a pet first aid course and only 10% had a pet first aid kit in their home. In addition, 49% of dog owners and 80% of cat owners acknowledged needing more training to be able to be
