Children's Home Society gives 'at-risk' families a leg up

COURTESY PHOTO Faith Percuoco and her son Adam in their Southwest Florida home. Two-year old Adam smiled, his curly brown hair bouncing as he laughed. He alternated between toy planes and markers, playing on the living room floor.

Before Adam's mother became pregnant at 37, she lived "in a different world."

"My lifestyle was definitely darker before," said Faith Percuoco, who was involved in an emotionally abusive relationship.

Three months pregnant, Ms. Percuoco struggled to quit smoking, felt lonely, and suffered from depression and anxiety.

Literally, faith seemed lost.

But then she met her first Family Support Worker through the Children's Home Society, a statewide nonprofit organization that helps vulnerable children and families. Founded in 1902 as a Jacksonville orphanage, CHS serves 5,000 children and families in its 14 divisions each year, including "at-risk" families like the Percuoco's and abused children.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

In 2008, the Florida Child Abuse Death Review reported 16 children had died in Lee County and 5 in Collier as a result of child abuse and neglect from 2004 to 2007. Child abuse deaths often go unreported because perpetrators don't come forward and medical examiners or coroners lack proper training in identifying these causes of death.

In 2003, there were 906,000 child abuse convictions in the United States, reported by the Department of Health and Human Services.

But the rate of child abuse is estimated to be at least three times greater than the actual number of cases reported. Statistics vary and numbers can be hard to compare since every state has a different and ever-changing system of classifying child abuse and neglect, collecting information, and reporting finds.

It's not surprising the effects of child abuse can be long-term and traumatic.

Victims are more likely to be arrested as a juvenile and more likely to commit a violent crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Abused children also have much higher chances of drug addictions and abusing alcohol. One third of victims will later abuse their own children, according to Childhelp, a nonprofit group that advocates children.

That's why CHS emphasizes preventing child abuse before it starts, said Jacqueline House, director of development for the organization.

Ms. Percuoco qualified for the Healthy Families program at CHS because she fell into an "at-risk" category. At-risk factors include being a single parent, having low income, a history of violence (whether as a perpetrator or victim), mental health problems, late prenatal care, and an unplanned pregnancy.

Participants receive a Family Support Worker who visits their home weekly, providing educational materials and emotional support tailored to fit the individual needs of families.

"She helped me become myself, helped me find my own self, where I actually had the nerve to leave the situation," said Ms. Percuoco, who moved from her home and past in Port St. Lucie to Southwest Florida when she was five months pregnant.

Her Family Support Worker gave her educational literature on nutrition, child safety, and child development. Ms. Percuoco changed her diet, shifted her mindset, and developed a positive attitude, she said.

From free diapers to free oil changes, the Healthy Families program at CHS offered support in a variety of forms.

For Adam's first Christmas, Ms. Percuoco couldn't afford to give him gifts. CHS gave the family pots and pans, baby lotions and blankets, and house and baby supplies. "It was awesome, I had stuff under my tree — a ton of stuff too! I was so happy. I mean, I had had nothing," she said.

CHS offers several other programs benefiting pregnant mothers, the developmentally disabled, teens living in foster care, and families looking to adopt.

"We work with moms who call us from all walks of life who are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. It could be that they're victims of crimes, could be that they're college students, or lately we've been getting calls from married couples who have older children and, because of this economy, they just can't raise another child," said Ms. House.

"We want to see effort and energy placed with celebrating those families who've had the courage to do that," said Ms. House. "A lot of people, I think they're afraid to have people come into their homes because they think somebody's going to come in and look down their nose at them and say, 'Okay, you're doing that wrong and you need to do it that way," she explained.

"And it's totally not like that at all," interrupted Ms. Percuoco. "It's absolutely the opposite, they're there to support you and help in any way they can."

The program makes home visits weekly and eventually every other week until the child reaches the age of five. CHS' Family Support Workers bring activities for the child to increase mental, physical, and social development to prepare him or her for entering kindergarten.

"If I hadn't found out about the program, my life would be totally different." said Ms. Percuoco. "It would be miserable. It would be disorganized. There would be chaos."