Healthy Families Garrett County Assessment Leads to Additional Funding

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

Healthy Families Garrett County participated in a Home Visiting Readiness Assessment with the Maryland Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting Program during the last two years. The information provided through the assessment led to Healthy Families Garrett County receiving additional funding for FY2023 and FY2024.

This additional funding is designed to help address the needs of expectant parents and families with young children during the COVID-19 public health emergency.  

Garrett County’s project includes the categories of technology, emergency supplies, and pre-paid grocery cards. Funding is available to provide resources to qualifying families. Items include: 

• cribs 
• baby formula
• diapers
• diaper rash cream
• baby wipes
• emergency gas cards
• loaner laptops 
• pre-paid grocery cards
• home safety items, etc.

The extra funding allows Healthy Families Garrett County to provide additional resources to families who are in need. Healthy Families Garrett County is a voluntary home visitation program, at no cost to the families, that empowers parents to give their child the best beginning in life. The program serves expecting parents and parents who have a newborn up to three months old, who reside in Garrett County. 

“Healthy Families understands that parents are the strongest influence in their children’s lives,” said Maria Friend, Director of Early Care Programs at the health department. “The most important stages of learning in a child’s life take place from birth to age three. Parenting is a difficult job with a lot of stress, concerns, and questions, and babies do not come with an owner’s manual.”

Healthy Families Garrett County is a program of the Local Management Board. Additional funding for this project is by Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MICHV)- American Rescue Plan Act.

Cutline: Pictured above are some of the staff in the Early Care/Healthy Families Garrett County Programs. From left to right are Katie Welch, Jennifer VanPelt, Lacy Coffren, Karen Keefer, Danielle Alexander, Autumn Friend, Alisha Martin, Natasha Coddington, Torey Moats, Michelle Rodeheaver, Maria Friend (Director), and Theresa Cavalier.