Van Buren County?s PAT earns credentials

KEOSAUQUA ? The Parents as Teachers program operated by Van Buren County Hospital has earned the Iowa Family Support Credential, valid for five years.

Van Buren County?s Parents as Teachers program is only the 10th Iowa program to earn this honored distinction.

The Parents as Teachers Program provides family support and parent education services to more than 200 families a year in Van Buren County.

The program receives funding from Children First, An Early Childhood Iowa Area covering Lee and Van Buren Counties.

The Iowa Family Support Credential is awarded to family support and parent education programs that are validated through an external evaluation to be in substantial adherence to the Iowa Family Support Standards.

The Iowa Family Support Standards are based on the most up to date, evidence-based practice in the family support field. Adherence to the standards indicates that the program is providing high quality services that will result in positive outcomes for young children and their families.

The Parents as Teachers program diligently worked toward meeting all of the 139 standards over the course of more than two years with the assistance of a technical assistance mentor.

A peer review was conducted by trained peers from southwest and central Iowa to validate the program?s adherence to the standards.

For more information about the Parents as Teachers Program contact Janet Phelps at Van Buren County Hospital, phone 319-293-6376.