Partners in Community Outreach is a coalition of research-based In-Home Family Education programs operating in West Virginia. The coalition’s goal is to create a statewide system of In-Home Family Education that reaches at least twenty percent of families who are expecting a child or have children under the age of three.

What is In-Home Family Education?
In-Home Family Education is a powerful, proactive strategy to reduce adverse childhood experiences. These programs build “protective factors” which enable families to deal more successfully with whatever challenges arise. Protective factors are the safeguards (health screenings or parent education, for instance) that help families avoid or cope with negative experiences that could otherwise lead to poor outcomes for their children (such as medical problems or failing grades).

What do In-Home Family Educators do?
In Home Family Educators provide voluntary parenting education and support to families with young children in their homes. They help parents understand their role as their child’s first and most important teacher. They provide information and support in such areas as prenatal care, child health, early learning and literacy, and child development and behavior, They help connect families to resources in their community and help families stay together safely. This is done by emphasizing each family’s strengths and helping them reach their goals.

Latest News & Events

"Safety of the Home Visitor"
Partners in Community Outreach recently sponsored a training event, "Safety of the Home Visitor." Participants received a copy of Safety Guideline Manual for Home Visitors. You can download this manual here, or request copies from angie@wvpartners.org.

Announcement of Approved Applicants:
The Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Children and Families, Office of Finance and Administration has announced the approved applicants for In-Home Family Education funding for Fiscal Year 08-09, totaling $245,000. Programs receiving funding for expansion of services include: ABLE Families, Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network and Marshall County Starting Points. The following programs received funding to establish an In-Home Family Education program: Wetzel County Center for Children and Families, Monongalia County Family Resource Network and Preston County Caring Council.

Benedum Foundation Support of In-Home Family Education Continues
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation awarded Partners in Community Outreach a $200,000 grant to continue building the components of a state system of In-Home Family Education. This has made it possible to hire a state Coordinator. Funding will be used to support training, evaluation and quality assurance, technical assistance, and collaboration efforts.

Parents as Teachers Designate WV State Office
(March 20, 2008) - West Virginia Parent Connections at Edvantia has been designated by the Parent as Teachers (PAT) National Center as the state office for its national program. To learn more about this new designation and what it means to West Virginia parents and children, click here.

Partners in Community Outreach Releases Bi-Annual Report
(January 2008) - Partners in Community Outreach has released a biannual report that emphasizes the critical importance of early childhood experiences and the role that In-Home Family Education programs play in reinforcing the future health and well-being of West Virginians. It encourages the adoption of a statewide system of In-Home Family Education and documents the need to reverse negative trends in well-being and reduce the escalating costs of these social problems. Click here to download the report.