Name of program: Family Connections West Fresno


What is the program’s goal? The purpose of Family Connections is to improve overall child development (socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively) by providing family-centered home visitation services. To also establish coordination and cooperation with Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs and the elementary school that support school readiness for the families, community agencies, and the school.


When was the program established at EOC? July 2005


Who do you help (client base)? Families with children 0 - 5 years of age, with a focus on teen parents and children ages 0-3 years.


What are the eligibility requirements? We focus on helping families living the West Fresno area. We serve families that are referred to the program and accept our services.


How many clients do you serve monthly/annually? 20 families. Each Home Visitor has 10 families on their caseloads. Home visitors may see their families once or twice a week or up to once a month based on family needs. We also participate in any local and community events such as school carnivals, health fairs, and events within our target area.


Who is the current program manager? Melissa Sierras is the Coordinator for Family Connections, West Fresno.


How many employees work for this program? There are four employees – a coordinator, two Home Visitors, and an Information Systems Clerk.


Where is your office / are your offices located? 1900 Mariposa Mall, Suite 202, in downtown Fresno


Tell us about one of your “success stories”. Our focus for our families, as the winter months approached, was to look at family needs. Through Toys for Tots and Reach Out and Read, we were able to share toys and books with our families and their children. Our December home visitation plans included food planning and budget, making grocery lists, and shopping for some basic food items for the month. In addition, as needed, families were linked to additional agencies to help sustain them. In a winter of difficult times, we were happily able to support our families through wonderful community agencies and these activities.


Anything else you’d like to tell us about your program? In addition to the home visitation services, we are currently assembling our weekly parent trainings designed to meet the needs and interests of our families. We have implemented a literacy program to support the parents’ literacy efforts at home. We have a very positive collaborative relationship with EOC Early Head Start, EOC Ivy Head Start Center, and with EOC Franklin Head Start Center.