When Life Overwhelms You, Call Birth & Beyond
(Birth & Beyond Program)

A young woman by the name Corinne was referred to River Oak’s Birth & Beyond program. At the time, she had unstable and inadequate housing, possessed next to no parenting skills, had less than a high school education and was in need of mental health/child development information. A teen mother, she had three children under the age of five and was pregnant with a fourth, her second pregnancy in twelve months.

Upon entering the program, Corinne was assigned a Home Visitor who started regular visits with her. Her Home Visitor referred her to Headstart and assisted her in getting one child enrolled in preschool. Soon after that, Corinne was able to obtain housing through Loaves and Fishes at a subsidized housing complex. She began receiving prenatal and family planning services through a UC Davis clinic.

The young woman began Parenting Classes at the Family Resource Center at the Dunlap House. Her children received medical examinations and immunizations. Corinne also began to prepare for her GED and was referred to Planned Parenthood for birth control information. Her four- year- old was referred to Reading Readiness.

Since her entrance to the program, she was able through weekly visits with her Home Visitor to recognize her own strengths, identify what was standing in the way of improving her life, and figure out how best to address those barriers. The Home Visitor was able to alleviate her transportation problems and work with her through the process of connecting with community resources. A Child Development Specialist, part of the Birth & Beyond Team, was able to assist her in issues with speech and other child related issues. Consultation with a Mental Health Family Counselor helped keep Corinne on target.

Due to both Corinne’s own determination and staff’s increased knowledge and connections with community resources, this young woman was able to turn her life around. She received her GED, found a permanent place to live, and began attending college. She became involved with the Sacramento Urban League for skill training and, through information provided by her Home Visitor, was able to obtain a job. Shortly after, she was an honorary speaker at a local award luncheon, with her Home Visitor in attendance to applaud her client’s success.

Corinne graduated from the Birth & Beyond program after two years. Her life story demonstrates the critical role early intervention can have in the lives of disadvantaged youth, specifically turning a set of extremely difficult challenges into an inspiration.

Invest in programs that can make the difference between losing hope in the face of life’s challenges and perseverance.

Read more success stories.

 

5030 El Camino Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608, (916) 609-5100, fax (916) 609-5160
info@riveroak.org
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