Kentucky HANDS

Kentucky’s Health Access Nurturing Development Services, HANDS, supports families as they build healthy, safe environments for the optimal growth and development of children.

HANDS is a home visiting program for pregnant moms-to-be and new parents that supports all areas of your baby’s development. HANDS will support you throughout your pregnancy and the first two years of your baby’s life. From pregnancy to the “terrific”-twos, HANDS is here to answer all of your questions during the different stages of your baby’s growth. Enrollment MUST BE during pregnancy or when your baby is less than three months old. Contact your local health department for more information about HANDS.

Becoming a parent is a very challenging and demanding job. Now there is a program that can ease your worries, answer your questions and support you on your journey to being a successful parent. HANDS is a free, voluntary program that pairs families with a skilled home visitor.

Your visitor will provide you information and tools needed to enhance your baby’s growth and development. The visits will provide enriching learning experiences for both parent and baby.

HANDS believes that a child’s parents are the most important role model and teacher. We can assist families in reaching success in their journey of parenthood. Services are offered in Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Simpson, and Warren Counties.

For more information about the HANDS program visit kyhands.com. For assistance getting enrolled contact:

Tammy Drake at 270-781-8039 ext 132 or Misty Johnson at 270-781-2490 ext 220.

First Steps

First Steps is a statewide early intervention system that provides services to children with developmental disabilities from birth to age 3 and their families. First Steps is Kentucky's response to the federal Infant-Toddler Program. First Steps offers comprehensive services through a variety of community agencies and service disciplines and is administered by the Department for Public Health in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Who Does First Steps Serve?

First Steps serves children from birth to age 3 and their families. Child eligibility for the program is determined two ways:

1. Developmental delay - A child may be eligible for services if an evaluation shows the child is not developing typically in at least one of the measured skill areas: communication, cognition, physical, social and emotional or self-help.

2. Established risk concern - A child may be eligible if he or she is diagnosed with a physical or mental condition likely to result in developmental delay such as Down Syndrome.

For more information about First Steps contact: (270) 901-5749 or visit https://www.lifeskills.com/intellectual-disabilities/first-steps

Child Care Information

Childcare Resource and Referral

The Western Kentucky University Child Care Resource and Referral is a community based organization that is dedicated to increasing the quality and accessibility of early care and education services for children.

We work with families, early care and education programs, businesses and industry, and the community.

For more information visit: https://www.wku.edu/ccrr/?fbclid=IwAR3iL1fZ_2Y4l8MEoyVCtsuAOXMFtsCJ6VVvHQ0YNnk0LU7bp1aN0KBjXts

The Child Care Assistance Program(CCAP)

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is administered by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Below are numbers and websites you can visit for more information.

The goal of CCAP is to provide access to quality child care to enable parents to work, further their education and job training and/or participate in the Kentucky Temporary Assistance Program. Child care subsidies also are available for child protective services.

Clients: 1-855-306-8959 or https://benefind.ky.gov/

To find you local Department For Community Based Service (DCBS) office, click here. Case changes shall also be reported to CHFS.DCBSDCCTechnicalAssistance@ky.gov or the number above.

How to apply for CCAP:

1. Apply online. Start your CCAP application today.

2. Apply via phone. Call 1 (855) 306-8959 to speak with a caseworker.

3. Fill out the application at home. Print out the CCAP application and mail, fax, or hand deliver to your local DCBS office.

   1. Child Care Application: English

   2. Child Care Application: Spanish

4. Apply in-person. Visit your local DCBS office.

If you have any questions about CCAP, call DCBS at1 (855) 306-8959.

Or visit https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dcbs/dcc/Pages/ccap.aspx

Activities/Games To Do At Home

Children learn the most when things are hands on and when they are fun. You don't have to buy fancy items, use what you have and get creative.

Before Kindergarten practice these skills:

• Writing and reading their first and last name

  • Children can write their name in rice, in sand, make their names using making their name with objects around the house, write in shaving cream in the bathtub, salt or sugar in a cake pan or in finger paint to make practicing more fun and multi-sensory, etc.

• Use alphabet flash cards to quiz your child

  • Ask children to tell you when you see a letter while you are grocery shopping, play games with letters, play hide and go seek with refrigerator magnets, ask students to tell what sound each letter makes, play a game of go fish with alphabet flash cards, make the letter sound when playing games

• Counting objects

  • Counting shoes, counting out loud, making patterns and counting the patterns, count the number of chips for snack

• Write different numbers (1-10) and ask your child to tell you what number it is

• Read books with your child

  • Run your finger under the words as you are reading, sound out words, play games with rhyming words, read non-fiction books and look at the pictures and talk to them about it. You can sign up for Imagination Library to get free books from birth until your child turns 5, check out books through the Warren County Public Library

• Have child play outside to promote students motor skills

  • Have children help with making food for using small muscle groups in their hands, play pretend with your child,

• Practice Attention and Following Directions

  • Give children two and three step directions, play Simon Says with one, two, and three step actions

• Practice going to the bathroom independently

  • Asking when to go, flushing, washing hands afterwards, etc.

You can also check to see if your child is kindergarten ready but taking this short quiz from Powerful Mothering.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

For more information please visit: https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dmch/ecdb/Pages/hands.aspx

To download the enrollment form please visit: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://uwsk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IL_registration_form.pdf