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Project Self-Sufficiency Receives National Recognition as Blue Ribbon Affiliate

 

home visitors

Project Self-Sufficiency has earned a prestigious endorsement from Parents as Teachers National Center, Inc., (PATNC) as a Blue Ribbon Affiliate, making it one of the top-performing home visiting affiliates within Parents as Teachers’ international network. The official designation was made in October 2024.

 

Being named a Blue Ribbon Affiliate affirms that Project Self-Sufficiency is a high-quality member of the home visiting field, implementing the evidence-based Parents as Teachers model with fidelity. Families in Sussex and Hunterdon Counties are positively impacted by the services delivered by this program.

 

The program includes home visits, group connections, child screening, and connections to community resources. It equips parents with knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a stronger start in life and greater success in school.

 

“To earn the Blue Ribbon Endorsement, we underwent a rigorous self-study and review process from the National Center. The process confirms that we are meeting Parents as Teachers’ standards of fidelity and quality,” said Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. “Blue Ribbon Affiliates are exemplary programs, delivering the highest quality services to children and families.”

 

Implementation with quality and fidelity is vital in home-visiting programs as it determines a program’s effectiveness in accomplishing its original goals and intended outcomes. It also verifies that a program is being implemented as designed. Parents as Teachers’ rigorous endorsement process demonstrates an affiliate's accountability and credibility to the community, its funders, elected officials, and the partner organizations with which they work.

 

 “We are looking forward to strengthening our outreach to mothers of young children in need and continuing to help these families to develop the skills they need for success,” added Berry-Toon.

 

In addition to Parents as Teachers, Project Self-Sufficiency offers the Nurse Family Partnership® program to pregnant women who are expecting their first child in Sussex, Warren, and Hunterdon Counties.  Personal nurses visit participants in their homes throughout the pregnancy, immediately after birth and during infancy and early childhood.  All Project Self-Sufficiency home visitation programs are free, voluntary, and confidential. 

 

Participants in the agency’s family support programs receive free parenting tips, baby items, information about childhood health, childhood development assessments, and other topics from certified nurses or family support workers.  The programs combine one-on-one discussions with educational outings for mothers and children to help parents boost literacy levels, address health issues, and help prevent potential developmental delays. 

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