NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - Personal and Family Counseling Services is working to make sure the local families participating in their Help Me Grow Home Visiting Program get the support they need when the program shuts down at the end of the year.

Executive Director Pam Trimmer says administrative challenges have prompted the difficult decision to discontinue the program that offers in-home consultation services for new and expecting parents effective December 31st. 

"There’s a couple of administrative burdens associated with this program as it operates through the Ohio Department of Health and requires some very specific training for a supervisor, and we are currently going to be losing the supervisor of the program. It does also take some time to get a new supervisor credentialed through the Ohio Department of Health, at least a minimum of six months," she says.

Trimmer says they’re working to find another local agency to absorb the program. In the meantime, she says PFCS has a variety of services available to help families through the transitional period.

"We’re currently working with a local agency to transition the program and in the meantime, this agency, Personal and Family Counseling, offers early-childhood services, an in-home parent mentoring program, case management services, consultation services so we’re certainly working with those families to see if it’s appropriate for them to receive any of those programs," she says.

Trimmer says the Visiting Home program currently serves around 100 local families per year. She says PFCS will continue to offer the Help Me Grow Early Intervention program that supports children with disabilities. 

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