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Birth Haven's Life Skills and Education Program

In addition to providing shelter and transitional housing, Birth Haven feels its mission is to prepare the residents for the day when they will be on their own. Accordingly, as an integral part of our operation, Birth Haven has developed its own unique program of instruction in parenting and life skills. The primary purpose is to provide the young women with the adequate ability to be self-sufficient and to survive in the outside world with their babies (unless put up for adoption).

The Life Skills and Education Program is a comprehensive framework that addresses a variety of issues and is continually being evaluated and revised in response to the needs of our residents. Our focus is self-determination, self-sufficiency, and empowerment through the acquisition of the tools necessary to move forward. More than 30 components of this program deal with Health Care, Tools for Living, and Enrichment as follows:

1. Healthcare
   1. Nutrition – a registered Dietician discusses the nutritional requirements of pregnancy and lactation
   2. Hygiene (Dental and Personal) – Dental- for mother and baby is presented by a Dental Hygienist. Personal- for mother presented by a registered nurse.
   3. Smoking – risks of smoking to the mother during pregnancy and to a newborn is addressed in eight-week sessions by a representative from the Center for Prevention and Counseling.
   4. Labor and Delivery – residents are prepared for labor and delivery by a certified doula as well as follow-up postpartum and newborn care
   5. Child-Birthing Doula – for residents who have no supportive or available labor coach, a certified birthing doula is available to support and advocate for the women throughout labor and delivery.
   6. Baby Basics – including infant massage and breast feeding are covered by a lactation specialist
   7. CPR – an American Red Cross representative instructs residents about infant/toddler, and adult CPR. All participating residents will receive a card stating they are certified in resuscitation.
   8. Child Development – is discussed by Developmental Milestones and includes physical, verbal, and cognitive growth from birth to age seven
2. Tools for Living
   1. Parenting – is comprised of two components. Weekly informal classes address relevant topics including relationships with newborns, creating a safe environment, and communication. Formal classes are conducted by an LCSW using the STEP Program (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) which encompasses issues such as building self-esteem, nurturing emotional and social development, and understanding young children’s behavior.
   2. Safety At Home- a comprehensive program that provides a proactive approach to protecting children within the home environment.
   3. Home Maintenance – includes routine cleaning and upkeep of a household
   4. Meal Planning and Preparation – both are covered daily by the Evening Supervisor who assists residents with weekly planning, recipes, shopping, and cooking within budgetary and dietary restraints
   5. Cooking Classes – are facilitated by chefs who present nutritionally balanced and economically based meals
   6. Organizational Skills – are presented by qualified staff member who outlines basic techniques for everyday living
   7. Affordable Housing – is discussed by housing consultant and includes locating affordable housing and accessing available services
   8. Budgeting – classes including maintaining a checking account, living within budgetary constraints, household economics, and comparison shopping exercises, as well as a consumer credit course
   9. Career Planning – is explored with the help of Sussex County Community College whose representative assists our young women in identifying areas of interest and expertise while developing a career path
   10. Internet Access – by the residents from two workstations dedicated for their use allows them to do research on housing, education, and employment opportunities for a wide area.
   11. Household Activities – Corporate and Pass It Along volunteers work with the residents to provide additional normal household skills such as gardening, sewing, basic home repairs
   12. Legal Aid – an attorney from Legal Aid offers advice on topics such as child support, custody, and tenant rights
   13. Life After Birth Haven –
       1. Project Self-Sufficiency offers a "Helping Families Initiative" in Sussex County for residents who will be remaining in the area and includes weekly groups, mentoring, and home visits for young parents
       2. Birth Haven "alumnae" discuss their experiences while a resident and the transition from the program
       3. New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services explains their assistance for young mothers who may require respite services or support
       4. Early Head Start informs residents about their programs of weekly home visits, socialization for new mothers, and workshops
   14. Driver Education – getting permits and on the road education is offered to each mother who is of age and is facilitated by professional driving schools
3. Enrichment
   1. Counseling – individual and group counseling are conducted weekly
   2. Supportive Services – these services and other material needs are met by Today’s Choice Mentoring – "Sister–to-Sister" program of the county’s Big Brother/Big Sister organization offers to match interested residents with young mothers to establish relationships with nurturing adults on a one-to-one level
   3. Adoption Options – placement options are outlined by an adoption Consultant from Bethany Christian Services and/or Spence-Chapin for those residents who wish to learn about them
   4. Empowerment – "Keys to Inner Vision" is an eight-week course facilitated by a counselor from Center for Prevention and Counseling and centers on empowerment through increased self-awareness
   5. Domestic Violence – issues related to this subject are covered by Domestic Abuse Services, Inc (DASI). Healthy relationships, anger management, and stress management are focuses of this piece. Residents will learn the importance of healthy relationships, appropriate ways to express anger, and the importance of stress management in order to parent effectively.
   6. Prevention- education presented by Shaken Baby Prevention specialists and Child Abuse Therapists includs the signs, symptoms, and prevention of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse to arm residents with necessary knowledge so they may be more aware .
   7. Post Partum Depression/Anxiety Awareness- a registered psychiatric nurse visits Birth Haven to share warning signs and treatment modalities.
   8. Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Classes – provided in house every other week by Tri State Yoga to offer the residents relaxation techniques useful during labor, and muscle strengthening for after delivery.
4. Recreational
   1. Field Trips – to malls, museums, aquarium, bookstores, restaurants, various religious institutions, the shore, local plays, etc. are used to educate, to expand the quality of life for our residents, and to supplement the Budgeting classes by actual comparison shopping experiences
   2. Crafts – including needlework activities presented by the American Sewing Guild, soap making, stenciling, scrapbooks, handcrafted items such as baby tee shirts, hand-sewn angels, gift bags and stationery that are actually being marketed, the profits going into our field trips and activities budget
   3. Family Game Night- residents will spend quality time getting to know each other through recreational interaction.