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The agency’s HANDS team continues to set the bar for programs around the state, achieving the highest percentage of active families and scoring in the top 10 percent of programs in assessments, professional and para-professional visits in June.

The Family & Children’s Place program also led the state in total services completed, meeting 90 percent of its goals and beating all other efforts by at least two full percentage points.

In project families, HANDS served 538 families, 107 percent of their target population. In assessments, the team finished at 125 percent of its target, achieved 87 percent of professional visits and 91 percent of para-professional visits.

Programs Vice President Donna Russow said the journey began several years back with a shared vision by Pam Darnall, Liz Ferguson, Jack McQuade and HANDS staff believing the agency could serve more families efficiently and with greater depth if F&CP embraced the program. Results proved the vision, though it’s the HANDS team, using their tremendous energy, skills and commitment, who made everything happen.

“The HANDS program staff are the ‘fire’ in the belly ensuring that every infant, child and parent they serve receives excellent care while creating the impact of these powerful outcomes,” said Russow, adding that the teams work ensures:

• Ensuring every child/ family is connected to medical care;
• Children are immunized;
• Parents/ caregivers develop skills to prevent child abuse/neglect;
• Developmental milestones are achieved;
• Literacy goals are met;
• Families receive necessary community resources.

It’s a terrific achievement by a terrific team!