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OlympicCommunityOfHealth

First Step Family Support Center: A Family Hub

In Clallam and Jefferson counties, First Step Family Support Center is a Family Resource Center (FRC) that has served families since 1972. In addition to their evidence-based home visiting programs like Parents as Teachers (PAT) or Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP), First Step operates brick and mortar resource centers in Port Angeles and Forks, provides center-based programs, operates pop-up events, and diaper banks. They are a trusted community partner and resource hub dedicated to supporting families through a variety of data driven home visiting programs as well as their center-based programs and services.


First Step Services                                                     

Their services include maternity support, parent education classes, home-visiting programs, bi-lingual support for Spanish speaking and Mam speaking families, and diaper banks. First Step provides safe spaces for children and families to build community and access necessary resources.


The Community-Based Workforce

First Step employs certified parent educators, advocates, family resource coordinators, tribal family resource coordinators, maternity support community health workers, and case managers, forming a robust community-based workforce. Community-based workers are individuals with lived experience and cultural knowledge, who work with a variety of organizations, Tribes, industries, and sectors. They are trusted helpers that provide clients with the one-on-one support they need to achieve their health and other life goals. In 2023, these dedicated professionals, along with the registered nurses and behavioral health specialists at First Step served over 1,790 families. Learn more about their impact.


Collaboration

First Step is a natural collaborator, partnering with local tribes and organizations to meet the diverse needs of families. Additionally, they chair the Clallam & Jefferson Counties Perinatal Mental Health Taskforce which organized Clallam County’s first Community Baby Shower, a one-stop shop for families in need, involving dozens of community partners offering vital information and resources. This initiative continues to be an important community event with the Community Baby shower celebrating their third year in 2024.


First Step Family Support Center and Olympic Connect

Olympic Community of Health is currently implementing the region’s Community Care Hub, Olympic Connect, to support care coordination for social needs across Jefferson, Kitsap, and Clallam counties. Olympic Connect aims to strengthen the regional network of partners and coordinates between health care and social service providers, addressing health issues no organization or Tribe can tackle alone. Both First Step and Olympic Connect operate on the principle of collaboration, utilizing a network of partners to address social needs effectively.


To learn more about Family Resource Centers, read the 2021 landscape survey of Family Resource Centers in Washington State from the Department of Youth, Children, and Families (DCYF).

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