“With support from (FTF), we are able to … keep stressful

 situations from escalating to the point that CPS gets called.”

When Cindi Alva, program director for Child and Family Resources (CFR), started attending community meetings to introduce a home visitation program CFR was bringing to the community with support from First Things First, she was unprepared for the response she received.

“Everyone was just so happy to have us here – the doctors, the pastor, the parents,” Alva said. “While there’s a child care center and a couple of Head Start programs in the area, there really isn’t anything to help parents of children under 3 or parents of children under 6 who aren’t in day care.”

Alva said that’s the beauty of the First Things First Regional Councils, “They are able to identify what’s needed in each individual community and then make decisions that will make the biggest difference for children in the area.”

Families participating in the program get regular home visits from a CFR staff person, who shares information and provides practical advice on issues like child development and parenting. “A lot of families just need some support,” Alva said. “With support from First Things First, we are able to provide that support and keep stressful situations from escalating to the point that Child Protective Services gets called.” Alva said support from various First Things First Regional Councils has helped CFR expand their programs into areas that had lost services or had never had services in Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties.

While CFR is contracted to serve about 140 families who have at least one child under six years old, Alva said the impact goes way beyond that. “We have established relationships with other community organizations – like the health department – so we’re able to maximize resources and coordinate our work to make sure the children’s education and health needs are being met,” she said. “We also work with the entire family – parents, grandparents, older siblings – and they share what they learn with other parents, friends and caregivers, so we really are making a difference for the entire community.”