Healthy Families Program Takes Part In State House Event During Child Abuse Prevention Month

 Juanita Cox says she does get a little nervous when she starts giving public remarks. But when she is speaking about something important to her, like the work she and her colleagues in Catholic Charities Boston’s (CCAB) Healthy Families program do every day, those nerves quickly disappear. 

And that was the case during the annual Step Up for Kids event at the Massachusetts State House on April 14, where Cox spoke about her experiences as a Healthy Families home visitor. 

“I spoke about the joys and challenges of being a home visitor and why this work is important,” said Cox, who is based at CCAB Yawkey. “I also encouraged others to invest in Healthy Families, whether through donations, policy, or general advocacy.” 

Step Up For Kids, a Children’s Trust event, is held in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Cox estimated more than 100 people attended this year’s event. The focal point of the event is children’s shoes displayed on the State House’s Grand Staircase that represent the average number of children confirmed as abused or neglected every day in Massachusetts. 

Fifty-seven pairs of shoes lined the staircase at this year’s event, down from 64 from last year, demonstrating the importance of the work done by programs such as Healthy Families and the positive impact that work has on families.

Cox learned about one week before the event that she would be speaking. In her remarks, she shared that when she first started at Healthy Families, she thought her main goal was to solve problems for the families she works with. But she quickly learned her role is not necessarily to find a solution, but more to support the families through their journeys. 

“In this work, we talk a lot about how we’re not driving the car – we’re in the passenger seat,” Cox, who now works with 12 families, said in her remarks. “That has stuck with me. Instead of giving answers, I ask a lot of questions. I try to understand what’s going on, what’s working for them, what isn’t. And sometimes families will ask me directly, ‘What should I do?’ I have to remind myself, and them, that they don’t actually need me to make the decision. They need space to think things through, and I support them while they do that. And when they have that person they trust in the passenger’s seat, families start to feel more grounded. More confident. They start to trust themselves.” 

Healthy Families Boston is a voluntary, free home-based family support and coaching program for first-time parents 23 years old and under to help them create stable, nurturing environments for their children. Home visitors teach parents everything from proper baby care to practicing effective parenting skills to counsel on achieving personal goals. Healthy Families is an important part of CCAB’s mission to help build and strengthen family relationships. 

“I really wish I had a program like this when I first had my son because, while lower-income families and families of color tend to use the program the most, I truly believe any first-time parent can learn from Healthy Families,” Cox said. “I am grateful to Catholic Charities and Healthy Families for giving me the chance to do this work.” 

Click here to learn more about Healthy Families.