Randomized Controlled Trial of the Jewish Family & Children's Service of the Suncoast, Inc.'s Healthy Families/Healthy Children Program

The goal of the Healthy Families/Healthy Children (HFHC) program is to ensure that all children in The Region live in stable, happy, healthy family situations. HFHC will be able to deliver existing services that have proven effective and new services that are research-based. Need to be addressed: Unhealthy relationships, inadequate parental skills and attitudes related to nurturing and responsible parenting, lack of knowledge of finances and/or economic self sufficiency, underdeveloped employment readiness skills, difficult-to-access job opportunities and housing. Proposed Services: In conjunction with a wide-range of community partners operating a comprehensive system of care, JFCS will provide a public advertising campaign, Marriage and Relationship Education/Skills (MRES), Nurturing Parenting education, financial management education and services, and job career advancement services. HFHC is designed around a strong marriage and relationship education/skills (MRES) component. The program includes parenting skills classes, a robust effort to address participation barriers, and partnership with local employment and employment skill-building agencies to address the economic stability needs of participants. Case management and support service coordination ensure comprehensive service delivery for every participant. Participants will have meaningful improvements in marriage/relationship skills, improved parenting/co-parenting skills, improved family functioning,improved adult and child well-being, and increased economic stability/reduced poverty. Population groups to be served: Low-income individuals, couples, engaged couples, and married couples 18 years of age up to 64 years of age and their family members.Research component: The project will conduct a randomized controlled trial to test hypotheses regarding our program's effectiveness. The Control group will be on a wait list and will not receive the Intervention (i.e., program services) until their final post-test measures are completed.