• smoking during pregnancy
• infant having two or more siblings
• Medicaid enrollee
• unmarried
• infant low-birth weight
• less than high school education
• teen mother
• short spacing (under 15 months) between pregnancy
• poor pre-natal care
• adverse outcomes in prior pregnancy

Most of these factors are situations that occur BEFORE the child is born and even before pregnancy.

“Children younger than three years of age are the most likely of all children to become involved with Child Welfare Services, and they have the highest rate of victimization and maltreatment among all age groups.”

A child’s “mental health” refers to emotional well-being and positive social development from birth through age 5.  Services for at-risk households are crucial to prevent these young children from being neglected and abused. Promoting early childhood “mental health” through in-home visitation and parenting programs is a key element in preventing abuse and neglect.

This report was mainly done to research the possibilities of taking care of these children after they enter Child Welfare Services.  However, there are organizations out there that provide support for families, mothers, and siblings of newborns. Having the knowledge of where to find support services and resources is crucial to decreasing stress, breaking family history cycles, and increasing preventative measures to further reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.

Better Indy Babies and Healthy Families America are two resources provided by HealthNet throughout the Indianapolis community.  The staff here provide knowledge and support to families and parents who are pregnant or have children from age birth to 3.  You can help these two resources be of greater service to families in need.  Learn more about what tools are out there or donate directly by clicking here.

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Shop at Once Upon a Child?  Want to help the Better Indy Babies program?  Click on our ONCE UPON  A HEALTHY BABY tab to learn about our event on Saturday, January 28th!

• Increase Hoosiers at a healthy weight
• Decrease tobacco usage
• Reduce infant mortality
• Assure food safety
• Reduce health care-associated infections
• Reduce the burden of HIV, STD and Viral Hepatitis in Indiana

It’s no secret that Indiana ranks as one of the unhealthiest states in the nation. State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin acknowledged that implementing the state’s ambitious action plan will be no easy task. The only way to succeed will be if individuals and public, private, governmental, and nonprofit organizations passionately #giveacareabout our state and work together.

We applaud the Department of Health’s efforts to take a broad look at how to make Indiana a healthier place to live. If we were to add a goal, #7 would be to continue improving access to health care and support services in neighborhoods, right where people live.

Why? Because true health encompasses so much more than a once-a-year doctor’s visit. And, often the best people to figure how to make a community a healthier are the folks who actually live there.

For example, look at what’s been happening on the Far Eastside of Indianapolis. This month, residents there just embarked on a great adventure — developing a Quality of Life plan for their community. This plan will help outline the things the community believes should happen to improve the health and well-being of all residents. Not only do they intend to identify areas of need and concern, they also plan to work together to be the change they want to see in their community.

The success of this plan, too, will take a lot of local folks who #giveacareabout the Far Eastside and work tireless to make things happen. We look forward to being a part of it.

Last month, we became a Far Eastside neighbor! The new HealthNet Eastside Health Center opened at 38^th Street and Post Road, and will serve more than 2,000 people each year — many living below the federal poverty level. It’s great to be neighbors with the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE), LaPlaza, Goodwill Industries, Family Development Services, CICOA, Dream Academy, Women in Motion and other groups at the Far Eastside Neighborhood Center that are working together with residents to make the Far Eastside a healthier place to live.

What can you do? GET INVOLVED!

If you live on the Far Eastside, the Quality of Life Issue Group meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at the Far Eastside Neightborhood Center, 8902 E. 38th Street, at 6:00 p.m.

Interested in knowing more about the Far Eastside? Join us at today’s open house for the new Eastside Health Center at CAFE’s Annual Community Day!

If you were to add a goal to the state’s list, what do you think would be the most important health priority for your neighborhood?

Now, we want to hear from you, learn about you, and find out more about how we can work together to serve our clients to the best of our ability.

Here are three steps that will help us to do just that:

1.  #GiveACareAbout … yourself!

   We give a care about what you do, where you are located in the great city of Indianapolis, and how you are involved with community happenings and making Indy a better place to live.  You can quickly introduce yourself now by commenting below, or you can wait until later and tweet us, or start following us on Facebook and introduce yourself there.  Whatever way you choose, we want to know more about you and what YOU #giveacareabout.

2. #GiveACareAbout. … those who need it most!

   In our blog series earlier this month, we introduced you to our several of our outreach programs. Our Homeless Initiative Program, Better Indy Babies & Healthy Families program, School-Based Services, and our Health Promotions team all serve those who are most in need in the Indianapolis community.  We will often bring you opportunities to give a care about the program or programs you are interested in.

3. #GiveACareAbout … telling others how they can help!

   Share your #giveacareabout stories with your friends on Facebook!  When you tweet us what you #giveacareabout, you will get retweeted to our network.  Or, if you don’t want to be as vocal about it, then simply sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter and forward it to your friends.  Later this month, we will have a unique way to share what you #giveacareabout, so keep your eyes peeled!

It is hard to believe that we are halfway through 2011, but this second half is looking to be an exciting one!