Downloadable Resources

Provides free, confidential information and referral services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Trained professionals provide crisis counseling and help callers identify and connect with health and human service programs that can meet a variety of needs including food, housing, employment, health care, and more. Services are available statewide through any cell phone provider as well as through landlines in 58 of Florida’s 67 counties. Additional information is also available online at https://informfl.org/florida-211/ .

The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. Professional crisis counselors can provide assistance to callers in 170 languages. All calls are anonymous and confidential. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www.childhelpusa.org 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

PCA America provides education to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children. Working with our chapters, we provide leadership to promote and implement prevention efforts at both the national and local levels. Additional information is also available online at www.preventchildabuse.org 1-800-children (1-800-244-5373)

The mission of FAN is to provide unified leadership to advocate for the development, enhancement and sustainability of innovative, high quality afterschool programs and policies statewide. https://flafterschool.com/ 850-921-4494 ext. 149

Toll-free number to apply for food stamps, Medicaid, and temporary cash assistance. Additional information also available online at www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/. 1-866-76ACCESS (1-866-762-2237)

Community-Based Care is a comprehensive redesign of Florida's Child Welfare System. It combines the outsourcing of foster care and related services to competent service agencies with an increased local community ownership of service delivery and design. This innovative statewide reform increases accountability, resource development, and system performance. To find your local Community-Based Care Lead Agency visit the following link: https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/child-family/child-and-family-well-being/community-based-care

An information resource equipped to respond to the public’s alcohol, tobacco, and drug inquiries and distribute free or low-cost culturally-diverse prevention, intervention and treatment resources tailored for use by parents, teachers, youth, communities and prevention/treatment professionals. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additional information also available online at www.samhsa.gov 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) TTY: 1-800-487-4889 Suicide Prevention LifeLine: 1-888-273-TALK(8255) TTY: 1-800-799-4889

FDLRS provides diagnostic, instructional, and technology support services to school district exceptional education programs and families of students with disabilities. Additional information also available online at www.fdlrs.org 850-245-0478

Provides children with a safe, caring, loving environment where they gain confidence to get better and learn skills to become productive citizens. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additional information is also available online at www.boystown.org. 1-800-448-3000

Whether you need information, help finding child care or other family assistance, you can turn to Child Care Resource and Referral Services at your local early learning coalition. They can help you find quality child care and connect you with other community resources such as food, medical care, workforce support, housing assistance, creative financial assistance options and more. Additional information is also available online at http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/family-resources/child-care-resource-referral. 1-866-269-3022

Florida hotline determines if the information presented complies with the mandates in law and assists all callers with information and referral to enhance the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable adults. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)

Resources on child abuse prevention, protecting children from risk of abuse, and promoting healthy families. Includes information on supporting families, protective factors, public awareness, community activities, positive parenting, prevention programs, and more. Prevention | Child Welfare Information Gateway (https://www.childwelfare.gov)

Healthy Families Florida is a nationally accredited home visiting program for expectant parents and parents of newborns experiencing stressful life situations. The program improves childhood outcomes and increases family self-sufficiency by empowering parents through education and community support. Parents voluntarily participate in Healthy Families so they can learn how to recognize and respond to their babies' changing developmental needs, use positive discipline techniques, cope with the day-to-day stress of parenting in healthy ways, and set and achieve short- and long-term goals. Healthy Families Florida (healthyfamiliesfla.org)

Circle of Parents® is a growing national network of twenty-nine (29) statewide non-profit organizations and twelve (12) national parent leaders that are dedicated to using the mutual self-help support group model as a means of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening families. Circle of Parents offers anyone in a parenting role the opportunity to participate in weekly group meetings with other parents to exchange ideas, share information, develop and practice new parenting skills, learn about community resources, and give and receive support. Groups are parent-led with the support of a trained group facilitator, are conducted in a confidential and non-judgmental manner, are free of charge and provide developmentally-appropriate children’s programs or child care concurrent with the parent group meetings. Developing leadership on the individual, family, community and societal levels, as desired by parent participants, is a central theme of the Circle of Parents model. Circle of Parents | Sharing Ideas. Sharing Support (http://circleofparents.org)

Healthy Families America is a national program model designed to help expectant and new parents get their children off to a healthy start. Families participate voluntarily in the program and receive home visiting and referrals from trained staff. By providing services to overburdened families, Healthy Families America fits into the continuum of services provided to families in many communities. Healthy Families America (https://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org)

PCA leads the way in building awareness, providing education and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation's children. Working with our chapters, we provide leadership to promote and implement prevention efforts at both the national and local levels. With the help of our state chapters and concerned individuals like you we're valuing children, strengthening families and engaging communities nationwide. Prevent Child Abuse America (https://preventchildabuse.org)

This site contains information on promoting self-sufficiency and family and community stability, as well as publications circulated by the Department. This site also contains information on numerous services provided by the Department, and a listing of public meetings. This site provides links to local Department of Children and Families contacts within each of the districts. Hope Florida | Florida DCF (myflfamilies.com)

Covers 33 topics related to the psychosocial development of the child, from conception to the age of five, and presents the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. Home | Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development (child-encyclopedia.com)

A national nonprofit multidisciplinary organization that offers information, education and support to adults who influence the lives of infants and toddlers. ZERO TO THREE | Early Connections Last a Lifetime (https://www.zerotothree.org)

Primarily a tool for professionals operating Responsible Fatherhood programs, the NRFC provides access to print and electronic publications, timely information on fatherhood issues, and targeted resources that support OFA-funded Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage grantees. The NRFC Web site also provides essential information for other audiences interested in fatherhood issues. Homepage | Fatherhood.gov

Born Learning is a public engagement campaign helping parents, caregivers and communities create early learning opportunities for young children. Designed to support you in your critical role as a child’s first teacher. Home | United Way – Born Learning (https://bornlearning.org)

Answer: Contact the Executive Director at 850-921-4494 ext. 164 and ask for an information packet. After reviewing the packet, the sponsoring agency representative will sign the partnership agreement found in the information packet and return it to the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida office at 111 N. Gadsden St., Tallahassee, FL 32301. After the partnership agreement has been reviewed and signed by the Ounce of Prevention Fund representative, a facilitator training will be scheduled at the sponsoring agency’s location.

Answer: Any parent or caregiver who is interested in strengthening their family relationships Parents or caregivers who feel isolated Parents or caregivers who are frustrated with the challenges of parenting Parents or caregivers who wish to increase their parenting skills and abilities Parents or caregivers who are worried about their feelings of anger Parents or caregivers who have low self-esteem Parents or caregivers who need assistance in developing specific parenting skills Parents or caregivers who would benefit from more concrete information on child development and available community resources Parents or caregivers who have hurt, or fear that they may hurt their children

Answer: Circle of Parents® is a mutual support and self-help program for parents based on a framework of shared leadership, mutual respect, shared ownership and inclusiveness. Mutual support and self-help programs promote positive parenting and help prevent child abuse and neglect in communities by providing social support, reducing isolation and building self-esteem of parents.

Answer: The support of others who have experienced similar situations reduces stress and helps encourage parents to learn alternative strategies for coping successfully with the challenges of raising children.

Answer: Parent empowerment is the cornerstone of our work. Circle of Parents® support groups are led by a trained facilitator (or co-facilitator) and a parent group leader, all of whom share the responsibility of the group’s success.

Answer: There is no cost for facilitator training, children’s program training, or for the training manuals, parent handbooks, brochures and facilitator packet of handouts. However, all facilitators and children’s program specialists must have a current background check, and this cost will be incurred by the sponsoring agency.

Answer: Parents or caregivers who are chronic substance abuse users and are not in treatment Parents or caregivers with mental health issues that keep them from productively participating in the group process Parents or caregivers who have been convicted of sexual abuse and are not in treatment

Answer: Circle of Parents® support groups are gatherings where parents talk about their parenting and the changes they are striving to make in their home life.

Answer: In terms of evidence-based practice, the Circle of Parents® program currently meets all the criteria for programmatic characteristics and research and evaluation characteristics for classification as a PART CBCAP "Promising Programs and Practices" as a result of the recently completed national research project.