County and tribal social services receive many reports of possible child maltreatment. Some are "screened out" from further action because the reported incident does not reach the legal standard of abuse or neglect. In many cases, however, there are factors that put the children at potential risk. The Parent Support Outreach Program helps these children and their families to prevent future incidents of child maltreatment.
The program provides early intervention, outreach and supportive services to these families who have at least one child under age 10. It is available through all Minnesota counties, and the White Earth and Leech Lake reservations.
The Parent Support Outreach Program brochure DHS-4472A (PDF) explains more.
One of the key aspects of the program is that families choose to participate. Families are eligible if they:
Risk factors that indicate a family may benefit from the program include but are not limited to:
Most referrals for the program come from:
About 50 percent of families contacted agree to meet with a Parent Support Outreach Program worker and accept services. The worker conducts a comprehensive assessment of a family's needs and strengths, and together with the family makes decisions about what services or community resources are needed. .
Family Group Decision Making is also available to many of these families to help them develop or deepen supportive relationships with extended family members and other informal supports. Often, referrals are made to community supports such as food shelves, free or low-cost clothing programs, free health clinics, and child development screening services.
Services are provided based on available state and local funding.
The Parent Support Outreach Program helps families in many ways, including:
