According to the Kentucky Extension Community Needs Assessment survey conducted in Bell County, the need for stronger parenting and relationship building skills was one of the top 15 priority issues identified as a need.  Due to an increase of substance abuse, grandparents and other relatives are attempting to hold their families together by raising children when their parents cannot.

     In efforts to support and educate them in their journey of raising relatives, the Bell County Family and Consumer Science Agent and Senior Snap Ed Assistant partnered with the Bell County Youth Service Centers and Bell Whitley Community Action Agency to create a support group for these families to grow and learn.  The Youth Service Centers identified families in the county who would benefit from this support group. The Second Time Around Family Support Group was formed and met monthly. Families received information from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension on publications that covered topics on mental health, nutrition, financial management, and disaster preparedness and heard from guest speakers representing UNITE, school social worker, KEDC Thrive and Kentucky State Police.  From them, the families learned about internet safety, child abuse awareness and drug awareness.

      13 Families participated in the support group and looked forward to being able to talk with others in the same situation. 

* 100% stated they gained knowledge of local resources and where they are located. 

* 100% can identify healthy and safe ways to relieve stress in their life.