The Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program is a voluntary home visitation program for any new or expectant parents. HANDS supports families as they build healthy, safe environments for the optimal growth and development of children.
HANDS supports you throughout your pregnancy and up to your child’s third birthday. HANDS is here to answer questions during the different stages of your baby’s development.
Who Can Participate?
Any new or expectant parent (mom and/or dad) residing in Kentucky is eligible for HANDS. Families must be enrolled during pregnancy or before a child is 90 days old. The HANDS program is free for all participants.
What Can Parents Expect?
All families will receive information to support giving their baby their best start. Families learn about community resources for new parents and engage in fun activities to learn more about:
- Having a healthy pregnancy
- Caring for their baby
- Bonding with their infant/child
- Providing their infant/child with enriching learning experiences
- Creating a safe and healthy home
- Growing parental knowledge and skills about brain and overall child development
- Tools and resources on how to deal with stresses that come with new babies
How Does the Program Work?
In the prenatal/postpartum period the family is screened after a referral is made. This referral can be made by a self-referral or by a referring agency such as the doctor’s office, health department, friends or family. A trained home visitor will visit your home to introduce parenting skill development in areas such as recognizing your baby’s needs, what to expect as your baby grows, making your home safe, etc. The frequency of visits will be determined by the family’s needs.
The HANDS program is available in all seven Green River District counties: Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, Webster.
For more information, please call 270-852-5396 or 270-852-2925 to contact a HANDS Representative.
