Healthy Steps for Young Children
Healthy Steps is a free, voluntary program that helps families understand what to expect from their developing children and offers information to help them meet the next developmental or behavioral challenge. The program pairs a Healthy Steps Specialist with families with children ages birth to 3. Specialists meet with families in their pediatrician’s office, as well as occasionally visiting the family at home. Families enrolled in Healthy Steps may receive services for up to 3 years. The goal is to promote positive perception of changes in their child’s behavior.
In order to enroll in the program, children must receive pediatric care from a provider implementing Healthy Steps. View the Family Support Programs Referral List for a list of medical providers offering Healthy Steps.
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a free, voluntary school readiness program that helps you prepare your 3- to 5-year-old children for success. HIPPY is a peer-delivered program where trained home visitors provide weekly home visits, working with you one-on-one. The program also provides monthly group meetings, where you and your children can socialize and meet other families in your community, and a resource network to connect your family with resources that meet your specific needs.
Families typically enroll in HIPPY for at least one school year. Many families continue enrollment for two or three school years. The program works toward two main goals to maximize your child’s chances of successful early school experiences:
View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a HIPPY program in your community.
Nurse-Family Partnership is a free, voluntary program that pairs first-time low-income mothers with highly-trained nurses. The nurses serve as mentors, developing close relationships with the mothers and conducting home visits from pregnancy until the baby turns 2 years old. Nurses provide support and education to improve pregnancy outcomes. They coach the mother on child health and development and encourage economic self-sufficiency for the family.
Nurse Family Partnership is available in every county in Colorado. View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a Nurse Family Partnership program in your community.
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a free, voluntary parent education and family support program serving families from pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten to ensure school readiness and healthy child development. PAT pairs trained Parent Educators with families and delivers services once or twice per month in their homes or a place of their choosing. Families typically enroll in PAT for at least one year. Many families continue enrollment for multiple years and some families are enrolled from pregnancy until kindergarten entry. Parent Educators focus on the following four components:
- Empowering parents to become their child's first and most important teacher.
- Group meetings designed to relay important information and offer parents opportunities to interact and support one another.
- Health and developmental screening.
- Partnering with parents to demonstrate activities parents can do with their child to optimize the child's brain development and health by combining nurturing parenting techniques with activities, stories, songs, and games.
- Resource network to connect families with resources that meet their specific needs.
View the Family Support Programs Referral List to find a PAT program in your community.