Responsive Funding Grants is sponsored by Children's Trust Fund of Missouri (CTF). CTF provides grants to community-based agencies and organizations throughout Missouri that focus on strengthening families and preventing child maltreatment.

News | Children's Trust Fund of Missouri CTF and KU release Safe Sleep Grant Program Evaluation Report by Bryanna Barber | Feb 18, 2026 | First-hand Insights , News The CTF Safe Sleep Grant Program Evaluation was conducted in collaboration and on behalf of the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) by the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare (KUSSW).

This document was made possible through the support, collaboration, and hard work of the five regional grantees who designed safe sleep programs for their communities to help educate caregivers, community members and providers and reduce the risk of sleep-related infant injury and deaths.

Their participation in data collection, willingness to share insights and program challenges, and ongoing service to families were essential to understanding the impact of this work. In Missouri, reducing sleep-related infant injuries and deaths remains a key state goal.

Under the direction of the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS), Children’s Division (CD) the Missouri Safe Sleep Coalition was formed in late 2016 consisting of several state and private community agencies and health care providers to develop, support and distribute consistent safe-sleep messaging statewide that aligns with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2016 Recommendations for Safe Infant Sleeping Environments.

As a result of this commitment, Children’s Trust Fund (CTF), a member of the Coalition, launched its Safe Sleep Grant Program from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2025, which funded five regional state grantees to distribute safe sleep surfaces and provide safe sleep education to Missouri communities.

This CTF Safe Sleep Grant Program Evaluation Report will provide a current understanding of the strengths and impacts of the Safe Sleep Grant Program and future opportunities for safe sleep programming in Missouri.

The 3-page evaluation summary Check out our other First-Hand Insights CTF releases Annual Report and State Plan Letter by Bryanna Barber | Dec 31, 2025 | First-hand Insights , News CTF is excited to present you with our Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report, with Fiscal Year 2026 Grant Overview, and our Fiscal Year 2026 State Plan Letter. Fiscal Year 2025 was a momentous and hard year for the Children’s Trust Fund.

After years of working to build a home visiting system, we began administering the majority of the state’s evidence-based home visiting funding on July 1. We worked to make this a reality because we believe we are uniquely positioned to take home visiting to a level never seen before in Missouri. Our goal is to have the best home visiting system in the nation.

We want to scale home visiting services to a point where we are able to see population impacts on child abuse and neglect, and maternal and child health. Equally important, we want to honor the agencies that do this work by continuously adapting our processes so that everything we do is rooted in their needs. To put it simply, we want to make it easier for home visiting agencies and home visitors to do their jobs.

Our work is in service to these agencies and the families they serve. We hold ourselves to high standards because our mission requires it. When we do our job well, community-based organizations have what they need to provide high-quality services to vulnerable families.

Supporting vulnerable families can change and save the lives of children. We commit to continuously elevating your work and reach because the children of Missouri deserve nothing less. Thank you for being a part of our team and helping us to support families to raise children in safe, stable and nurturing environments.

Imagine what the world will be like if we are able to do this!

Check out our other First-Hand Insights CTF approves immediate funding to reduce food insecurity for Missouri children and families by Bryanna Barber | Nov 10, 2025 | First-hand Insights , News The Children’s Trust Fund approves $400,000 in immediate funding to reduce food insecurity for Missouri children and families affected by the federal government shutdown JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.

— In response to the effects of the federal government shutdown on SNAP benefits in Missouri, the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and its Board of Directors approved $400,000 in additional funding on Friday to assist Missouri communities and families facing food insecurity. CTF will donate $100,000 to Feeding Missouri , to be distributed to six regional food banks in the state, specifically for the purchase of infant formula and baby food.

Food banks traditionally carry low inventories of formula, and infants and babies are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. CTF also approved a $300,000 increase in contracts for the Missouri Parenting Partnership Home Visiting Program, allowing these agencies to purchase formula and food for the families they currently serve.

“The Children’s Trust Fund is deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of Missouri children,” said CTF Executive Director, Emily van Schenkhof. “We are very hopeful that the shutdown will end soon, but Missouri families and children need food now. ” For many Missourians, the inability to access SNAP benefits means significantly less food in the household.

Of the 667,000 individuals in Missouri who receive SNAP benefits, forty percent are children. Food insecurity in low-income households is associated with an increased risk of child abuse and neglect. “Child abuse is preventable when families have the resources to meet their children’s most basic needs—like food, shelter, and stability,” said CTF Board Chair, Cherisse Thibaut.

“The stress and fear that come with food insecurity can make it impossible to provide the safe environment every child deserves. CTF is making this investment to support families and prevent abuse before it happens – that is our mission. ” The Children’s Trust Fund is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention.

The primary function of CTF is to fund child abuse and neglect prevention programs throughout the state, with an emphasis on home visiting and child sexual abuse prevention. To learn more about the Children’s Trust Fund, please visit ctf4kids. org.

For more information from the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) about the federal government shutdown and its impacts on SNAP benefits, visit mydss. mo. gov/federal-shutdown-impacts .

Check out our other First-Hand Insights CTF Board Member Cindy O’Laughlin, first woman elected President Pro Tem in Missouri Senate by Bryanna Barber | Jan 14, 2025 | First-hand Insights , News Cindy O’Laughlin sworn in as Senate President Pro Tem, highlights support for Missouri children and families — The Missouri General Assembly convened on January 8, 2025 to mark the beginning of a hopeful legislative session for Missouri kids and families.

On January 13, Missouri swore in Governor Mike Kehoe, who served as lieutenant governor under Mike Parson since 2018. Senator Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) is also making history this session: “I stand before you today as the first woman to ever be elected president pro tem of the Missouri Senate,” O’Laughlin said during her inaugural speech on Wednesday’s Senate floor.

O’Laughlin outlined lofty goals for the 2025 Legislative Session with a focus on children and families, including an effective child welfare system and high-quality education, and upholding the family values of hard work, responsibility, and dedication, which she says make Missouri great.

“We must support strong, healthy families; maintain access to quality education; ensure safe neighborhoods and set high expectations for the next generation,” O’Laughlin said . “We must remind the next generation of mothers and fathers that they are special, that their goals matter…” In addition to her role as a Missouri Senator, Cindy O’Laughlin serves on the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund’s Board of Directors.

The Children’s Trust Fund , established in 1983, is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse and neglect prevention. It is a quasi-governmental agency that reaps the benefits and security of being a state agency while holding 501(c)(3) non-profit status. The Children’s Trust Fund works with state partners and community-based organizations to prevent child abuse.

One of those partners is Missouri’s Children’s Division, housed within the larger Department of Social Services. Both Children’s Division and the Department of Social Services will face leadership and appointment changes in 2025. “Our system must become more compassionate, more hands-on and more local,” O’Laughlin said.

“And, more purposeful! Removing children [from their homes] cannot remain our default response to family crisis. ” According to its caseload counter , the Department of Social Services reports that Missouri currently has about 11,300 children in foster care today, a slow but steady decline from its peak of 14,265 in 2021.

Of the substantiated abuse reports in 2023, more than 50% of incidents were determined to involve neglect, followed by sexual abuse in 29% of reports and physical abuse in 25% ( Child Abuse and Neglect Annual Report Fiscal Year 2023 ). “Too often, instead of addressing the root causes of poverty and addiction, we criminalize them,” O’Laughlin said.

“As a result, [children] are seized from their families, almost guaranteeing additional trauma and harm… families in turmoil do not need to be raided, they need to be supported…” The Children’s Trust Fund is excited to work with its Board of Directors, the General Assembly and Children’s Division in 2025 to improve the lives and outcomes of our children.

“These children deserve secure, loving homes whether with foster families, relatives or other kinship support,” O’Laughlin said. “We must not subject innocent children to cycles of harm. ” Check out our other First-Hand Insights by Bryanna Barber | Aug 7, 2024 | News At the end of July, CTF had a day of family fun at the office with a few very special guests — Bashie, Rosie and Baby Rowan.

Bashie, 8, is the youngest son of CTF Program Director, Jeni Sommerfeld. Bashie is a creative, i ngenuitive kid who has been known to enjoy video games, building circuits, and learning magic tricks. Elisabeth “Rosie,” 11, is the youngest daughter of CTF Executive Director, Emily van Schenkhof.

Rosie is a talented artist with an active imagination. She enjoys drawing and creating art, exploring new places, and baking. The pair were quick friends.

They warmed up to each other with a few activities, including watching Lego Batman, making (and testing out) paper airplanes, and coloring. A bit later, the pair went on a tour of the Harry S Truman State Office Building. Rosie was full of great ideas for photos and Bashie’s silly side started coming out.

After lunch, the re-energized pair spent some more time in the conference room watching Minions 2, building a fort, and coloring some more. They also put their energy to use by practicing their office etiquette skills. Later in the afternoon, another small guest stopped by the office to say, “hi” — Baby Rowan!

Baby Rowan is the firstborn son of CTF Administrative Assistant, Nicole Dunmire. Baby Rowan is the newest member of the CTF family! He enjoys dancing and playing all night, filling his belly all day, and fussing as soon as he gets home from an adventure.

Baby Rowan helped us get some work done and stay on task! He’s a great colleague and a huge helper! In fact, Baby Rowan was such a big help that we wanted to return the favor.

So, we all helped him out with one of his important daily tasks — TUMMY TIME! A very special ‘Thank You’ to Rosie, Bashie, and Rowan for such a special, joyful day at CTF!

The Green Bear Project in Southeast Missouri by Bryanna Barber | Jul 11, 2024 | News In early 2024, CTF staff members Bryanna Barber and Jennifer Sommerfeld visited the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence ( SEMO-NASV ) to see the Green Bear Project in action!

The Green Bear Project and its companion SAFE Program is a preK-12 school-based sexual abuse prevention program that helps students as early as pre-kindergarten learn what is safe and what to do if something unsafe happens to them. Older youth and high schoolers will learn more about safe dating, dating & domestic violence and what to do if they want to seek help for themselves, a friend or a family member.

Leasa Stone is a nurse, child advocate, and former foster parent. During her time as a foster parent, Leasa cared for about 24 children. She was inspired to start the Green Bear Project in Southeast Missouri around 2000.

She says, “There was nothing out there” at that time. “SEMO-NASV had just started in our area, and I didn’t even know about it until I started researching child sexual abuse. ” “So many of my foster children were sexually abused, but not one perpetrator was convicted of the crime.

Almost all of those children blamed themselves for being sexually abused, even the younger ones. ” Program Coordinator , Green Bear Project in partnership with SEMO-NASV Green Bear’s Inspiration — Baby Tylen While in Leasa’s care , Tylen required surgery for inner ear issues. Before surgery, Leasa took him to pick out a toy from the store.

Among an isle full of stuffed animals, Tylen picked out a plain, light green bear with a big, green bow. He named his new friend Green Bear. When Tylen and his siblings were re-unified with their biological parents, Green Bear was accidentally left behind.

Although his parents promised to return to pick up the rest of the belongings, including Green Bear, it was never done. In September 2000, 2-year-old Tylen Haneline was tragically killed by his biological parents soon after arriving home from his foster home with Leasa. It wasn’t long after Tylen’s death that Leasa found Green Bear in the back of a closet.

She knew something needed to be done. Why sexual abuse prevention? “Although Tylen died due to physical abuse, I saw how sexual abuse affected most of my foster children.

I was a foster parent for many years before I started The Green Bear Project. During that time, I had approximately 24 foster children. Of those foster children, 20 of them were sexually abused.

Only one of the children was placed in care due to sexual abuse; the others were placed in my home for various other abusive situations. ” Program Coordinator , Green Bear Project in partnership with SEMO-NASV SEMO-NASV and Green Bear have collaborated with CTF to construct billboards informing parents there is something we agree on and guiding them to our website. I truly believe collaboration is key.

It is not a competition. We should all be working together to help children. Program Coordinator , The Green Bear Project in partnership with SEMO-NASV “When adults in our area think of sexual abuse/assault prevention education, they think of SEMO-NASV and The Green Bear Project and feel the topic can be discussed openly, rather than behind closed doors.

. . The Green Bear Program was created to teach kids who have been sexually abused that the abuse was not their fault.

” Program Coordinator , The Green Bear Project in partnership with SEMO-NASV CTF, Board of Directors approve 5 programs for Responsive Funding Opportunity by Bryanna Barber | Jun 11, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News As a result of feedback and discussions, CTF and its Board of Directors are excited to announce the following FY25 Responsive Funding Opportunity Grantees: Fathers & Families Support Center Community Partnership of Rolla Check out our other First-Hand Insights Wins for kids despite a uniquely challenging legislative session by Bryanna Barber | Jun 10, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News Despite record-breaking filibusters, a record-low number of bills being passed, and zero conference committees (Kids Win Missouri) during the 2024 Legislative Session, there were still wins for kids and families when the session adjourned on May 17.

In the FY 2025 budget, the legislature increased the child care subsidy rate from the 58th percentile of the current market rate survey to the 100th percentile for infants and toddlers and the 65th percentile for preschool and school-age children.

This means child care providers will get state reimbursement for providing child care to low-income families, which gives more low-income families access to workforce opportunities and child care they may be otherwise unable to afford. Despite this win, it remains unclear whether decreased funding in the approved fiscal-year 2025 budget— a $23.

4 million reduction from current funding — is sufficient to cover these obligations and how funds will be distributed across an expansive network of counties and child care providers. Some in child advocacy anticipate state departments requesting more money later in the year to fund the demand.

Despite concerns, CTF maintains that this is a move in the right direction for the state’s child care landscape and indicates there is a desire to make child care more accessible and affordable in Missouri.

Check out our other First-Hand Insights Collective Impact Partners, CTF launches Missouri Home Visiting Referral System by Bryanna Barber | May 22, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News CTF is excited to announce the availability of the Missouri Home Visiting Referral System’s CRIS Link. The CRIS Link is a one-stop shop for anyone to make a referral for early childhood home visiting services within Missouri.

All early childhood (prenatal to five) home visiting programs can contact their Regional CRIS Network to learn more or join their region’s CRIS Network. Each CRIS network is led by a collective impact site that manages participating home visiting programs and models within its region. Collectively, this statewide system is called the Missouri Home Visiting Referral System.

Join your network of providers to receive and manage early childhood home visiting referrals. There are many benefits to joining your Regional CRIS Network: · Manage capacity by turning referrals on and off as needed. · CRIS can supplement other referral sources.

· Training & Technical Assistance is available as needed. · No more trying to remember coverage, eligibility, and capacity — the CRIS can do that for you! · Families are matched with a program that meets their needs and location — no more falling through the cracks.

· It’s FREE & EASY TO USE! To learn more or ask questions, please contact: · tara. goins@oa.

mo. gov or; · Find your region’s CRIS Coordinator on the CRIS Map or with the CRIS Link.

Learn More & Begin Referral Check out our other First-Hand Insights by Bryanna Barber | Mar 4, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News Child Physical Abuse and Neglect Prevention Responsive Funding Opportunity The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund Board of Directors is pleased to announce the availability of up to $500,000 per year for community-based child physical abuse and neglect prevention programming outside of CTF’s priority programming areas of home visiting, childhood sexual abuse prevention and infant safe sleep.

Individual applicants will be able to apply for up to $100,000 per year, renewable for up to three additional years (4-year grant cycle). The initial contract period will be July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. Letters of Intent (“LOI”) are due March 22, 2024 Full Applications (Invitation Only) are due May 3, 2024 For more details about the grant opportunity and Informational Meeting to be held on Friday, March 8 from 1-2 p.

m. CST, please download the full Request for Proposals (“RFP”) . You can also download the Action Plan and Budget Form referenced in the RFP.

Please contact Jennifer. Sommerfeld@oa. mo.

gov if you have any additional questions. State Fiscal Year 2025 Outcomes Rate Card (“ORC”) Enrollment The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is seeking Home Visiting Agencies (HVAs) who are interested in participating in a statewide home visiting (HV) outcomes rate card (ORC) that provides incentive funding to high-performing HVAs who are providing year-round services to low-income Missouri families.

The statewide ORC will distribute up to $4. 35 million to HVAs for the achievement of high-priority outcome metrics over 4. 5 years.

Beginning as a pilot in January 2023, the statewide ORC entered full implementation in July 2023 and will remain through June 2027. *Currently enrolled ORC participants do not need to re-enroll for FY 2025 participation. An Informational Meeting about this grant opportunity will be held on Tuesday, March 12 th , 2024 at 10:00 am.

CTF has developed an application form to be completed and submitted to ctf@oa. mo. gov no later than midnight on April 15 th , 2024, to be eligible for FY25 ORC participation.

HVAs will be contacted by April 30, 2024, to begin the contracting process. Please contact Tara. Goins@oa.

mo. gov for additional questions related to this enrollment opportunity.

Check out our other First-Hand Insights Missouri Children’s Trust Fund launches updated social norms marketing campaign and related marketing mini-grant to 7 Missouri agencies by Bryanna Barber | Jan 22, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) relaunched its’ social norms campaign, called Something We Agree On , which aims to prevent childhood sexual abuse and corporal punishment .

The relaunch dives deeper into specific strategies and examples, resources for parents and caregivers, and topics for discussion. With a foundation of creating positive community norms that protect children from abuse, the campaign encourages Missouri parents and caregivers to engage in conversations with kids that prevent child sexual abuse and corporal punishment.

Social norms survey results of 1,000 Missouri adults concluded 86% of parents have had conversations with their children about body autonomy and personal boundaries. Having short, frequent, age-appropriate conversations with children can help protect children from sexual abuse. They can teach children signs to look for and boundaries to uphold.

Perhaps, most importantly, they help establish you as the trusted adult in your child’s life. Although some may find these conversations to be uncomfortable at first, they are extremely normal, and they prevent abuse from occurring or going unreported. Similarly, having conversations with kids can help prevent the use of physical punishment.

94% of Missouri adults agree there are better ways to discipline a child than physical punishment. When parents and caregivers talk to their child, understand their child’s (and their own) emotional responses, and learn about their child’s developmental stages, it is easier to have empathy for kids and respond to behaviors in a more supportive and nurturing way.

In tandem with the release of the updated campaign materials, CTF is excited to announce the selection of seven Missouri-based agencies to help creatively spread messaging and awareness in various parts of the state. These agencies will help spread awareness in a variety of ways, including billboards and traditional marketing, local partnerships, professional and community events, training and more.

CTF is excited to collaborate with the following agencies in 2024 for this marketing campaign: Butler County Community Resource Council Lewis County Health Department Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) To find materials and resources, or to learn strategies that could help you and your family, visit SomethingWeAgreeOn. org .

Check out our other First-Hand Insights MARCH 1st: CTF will release $2 Million in Responsive Funding Opportunity (FY25-FY29) by Bryanna Barber | Jan 16, 2024 | First-hand Insights , News CTF is excited to announce the CTF Board of Directors has approved the release of $2M in responsive funding over four years , starting in state fiscal year 2025 .

This responsive funding opportunity will support community-based child abuse and neglect prevention efforts outside of CTF’s priority programming areas of home visiting, childhood sexual abuse prevention and infant safe sleep. In recent years, CTF has taken a strategic approach to grantmaking to maximize our impact in the areas of early childhood home visiting, child sexual abuse prevention, and infant safe sleep.

While we are proud of the strides being made in these areas, we acknowledge that resources are needed for other valuable projects and programming. Basic eligibility will consist of projects and/or programs whose primary purpose is to prevent child abuse/neglect, using a primary/secondary prevention framework, in impact areas other than early childhood home visiting, child sexual abuse prevention, and infant safe sleep.

Proposals indirectly affecting CTF priority areas will be considered, and proposals to leverage programming in CTF priority areas to maximize impact in other areas will receive priority consideration. Individual applicants will be able to apply for 1-4 years of funding at a maximum of $100,000 per year.

There will be a two-step application process, which will begin with a request for Letters of Intent that will be released on May 1, 2024: Interested agencies will first submit a letter of intent (LOI) to apply. Select candidates will then be invited to submit a full application beginning April 5, 2024.

Deadline for invited applicants will be May 3, 2024 Additional information about this funding opportunity will be released through a request for proposals in the coming months.

Check out our other First-Hand Insights CTF marketing-based funding opportunity for Something We Agree On by Bryanna Barber | Nov 13, 2023 | First-hand Insights , News The Missouri Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce the availability of up to $150,000 for Missouri-based partners to develop and implement community-based marketing plans for a childhood sexual abuse prevention and/or corporal punishment prevention campaign(s).

The maximum funding amount per agency will be $30,000.

CTF seeks partners to d evelop and implement a marketing plan using Something We Agree On graphic, video and audio assets; website; resources and other materials that: • Prioritizes reaching parents/caregivers and/or communities in the most need; • Is catered to the specific needs, gathering/community centers, cultures and communication styles of your community, and; • Leans on partnerships and networks of wider community-based support for the most impact in the community, including (but not limited to) health care systems, religious institutions, public schools, libraries, resource centers, mail services, and more.

To learn more about the campaign and available resources, visit SomethingWeAgreeOn. org.

Check out our other First-Hand Insights CTF partners with Managed Care Organizations to provide prenatal care to expecting mothers receiving Missouri Medicaid by Bryanna Barber | Sep 11, 2023 | First-hand Insights , News CTF is excited to partner with Healthy Blue and Show Me Healthy Kids to connect pregnant foster youth and women receiving Missouri Medicaid to necessary home visiting services.

We believe this can be achieved with a single point of entry to a statewide coordinated referral system. You can find that Coordinated Referral and Intake System at the QR code below. Connecting Missouri’s most vulnerable mothers and babies to home visiting services will improve outcomes in health, safety, education and economic mobility.

Providers can make a referral through the Coordinated Referral & Intake System (CRIS). Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 1983, CTF is Missouri’s foundation for child abuse prevention. CTF is a non-general revenue state agency that conducts public awareness campaigns about the importance and economic impact of preventing child abuse and neglect.

In addition, CTF distributes grants annually throughout Missouri to local community-based programs that support families and work toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect. For additional information, please call CTF at 573-751-5147 or visit ctf4kids. org .

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Click to see more stakeholder news and join CTF's "First-to-know" E-mail List Sister Anne Francioni and Whole Kids Outreach, Inc. by Bryanna Barber | Aug 18, 2023 | First-hand Insights , News A conversation with Sister Anne Francioni Traveling the winding, two-lane highways of Southeast, Missouri toward Ellington, you’ll find Whole Kids Outreach: a non-profit that’s tucked so far into the Mark Twain National Forest that it feels almost like traveling back through time.

You can feel the timelessness in the old farmhouse-style buildings, vast forest and rolling hills, and surprisingly welcomed lack of cell phone service . At Whole Kids Outreach, we were disconnected from our constant streams of electronic communication, but I felt more connected than ever.

Sister Anne Francioni, the Executive Director of Whole Kids Outreach, welcomed CTF staff with a warm hug, fajitas for lunch, and a delicious chocolate cake we couldn’t possibly resist. Throughout her career, Sister Anne has mastered the delicate balance between progress and tradition. She started her career as a nurse in her home state of New Orleans before coming to St.

Louis and eventually joining the Sisterhood through the Catholic Church. Sister Anne will tell you that once upon a time, nursing and nunnery were one in the same. Through the Church, she was sent on what was intended to be a short, yearlong mission helping women in Southeast, Missouri who have experienced domestic violence.

Twenty-five years later, she is still there. Over the years, she has expanded her reach beyond the scope of domestic violence and into the realm of home visiting and supports that strengthen families. Through her mission to help children, youth, pregnant women, and young families, she successfully serves 11 rural, southeast, Missouri counties.

Sister Anne says the needs are much different in that part of the state than they are in the cities and suburbs, or even in the northern rural areas. From these needs, Whole Kids Outreach was born. Since 1999, WKO has served more than 15,000 families and 35,000 children in the 11-county region.

During the course of our lunchtime visit, I had the privilege of asking Sister Anne a few thought-provoking questions. This conversation has been significantly edited and reorganized for brevity, clarity, and structure. Q: Do you think a bachelor’s degree in social work would set someone up well to be a home visitor?

A: I think you could do nursing, social work, or education – a trifecta, if you will. Three different fields have to come together to create a single, unified field. It’s hard to know the dynamics in a family and there are pieces of all three of these career paths that can apply to home visiting.

I have a former educator on my staff and former health care providers, and their transitions to parent-child home visiting is more seamless. So, we can collaborate and figure out what works and what doesn’t for the populations we serve. But, largely… on that larger scale, we need that trifecta for home visiting or, even better, a degree program in Parent-Child Home Visiting.

Q: What are some key differences between serving rural communities versus serving urban communities? A: Well, first, you also have to consider that not all rural communities are the same or have the same cultures and levels of access. Aside from a few cities,