HANDS

The Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program is a free voluntary home visitation program for new and expectant parents. Families begin by meeting with a HANDS Parent Visitor who will discuss any questions or concerns about pregnancy or a baby’s first years. Based on the discussion, all families will receive information and learn about resources available in the community for new parents. Some families will receive further support through home visitation. That’s right, information brought right to the home.

Pregnant moms and/or expecting dads and families with babies under 3 months old, who reside in Garrard, KY can participate. If a family adopts a baby before the baby is 3 months old, they can participate. HANDS is available in all 120 Kentucky Counties.

Services can begin during pregnancy or any time before a child is 3 months old.

• Parents are the most important people in a baby’s life.
• Parents are the first and most important teachers a child will ever have.
• Parenting is a very demanding job, and all parents have worries, questions and stress.

• Support through your pregnancy and the early years of your baby’s life
• Ways to make your home safer for your baby
• Information on how to care for your baby
• Facts that will let you know your baby is growing and developing in healthy ways
• Activities that you and your baby can enjoy together that can stimulate your child’s brain development
• Access to other community services

Typical HANDS families stay in HANDS until the age of two. Since HANDS is a voluntary program, families can stop HANDS at any point. We find that most families stay in the program until HANDS graduation and are sad when their time in the program comes to an end.

• Healthy pregnancies and births
• Healthy child growth and development
• Healthy, safe homes
• Self-sufficient families
• Please contact us if you would like more information about this program.