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Healthy Families Banner - Strengthening parent-child relationships through education and support

Your newborn's brain makes a million connections every second! And the most important connection is YOU!


Healthy Families Mendocino County supports families in creating a positive and meaningful beginning during a child’s early years. We offer free, one-on-one support from a nurse or family support specialist for parents and primary caregivers, beginning in pregnancy and continuing until your child reaches age five.

Through weekly to monthly home visits, our Family Support Specialists can help you with:

  • Pregnancy
  • Postpartum and infant care
  • Breastfeeding supports and resources
  • Diet, nutrition, and exercise
  • Recognizing your baby's needs
  • What to expect as your baby grows
  • Developmental screenings
  • Play strategies to support healthy development 
  • Problem-solving and coping strategies
  • Connections to community resources
  • Ways to continue with education
  • Setting and working toward family goals

This is a free and voluntary program for qualified Mendocino County residents who are expecting a baby or have a child under 3 months old.

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To apply, complete and submit the referral to mcah@mendocinocounty.gov.

 

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For more information, download the Healthy Families Mendocino brochure

 

Contact us to learn more:

 

Strengthening parent-child relationships 

Healthy Families Mendocino County is a nationally recognized, relationship-based home visiting program that supports families from pregnancy until children reach age five. This free and voluntary program pairs parents with a trained Family Support Specialist who listens to family needs and provides personalized guidance to strengthen positive parent-child relationships.

Families learn about child development, effective parenting practices, family strengths, and personal goal setting—all while having fun together and building confidence as parents.

Eligibility

Families may enroll any time during pregnancy up to 3 months after birth. Extended eligibility may be available in certain situations—please contact us to learn more.

Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse Childhood Experiences—such as exposure to abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, parental substance use, or untreated mental illness—can have long-term impacts on health, behavior, and well-being.

Healthy Families Mendocino County follows a national model with over 25 years of proven success in helping families reduce these risks and promote lifelong resilience.

Our Goals

The Healthy Families Mendocino County program is dedicated to helping parents build strong, nurturing relationships with their children while promoting healthy growth and development. Our team works to reduce family stress, strengthen protective factors, and enhance overall family well-being. We also collaborate with community organizations to ensure families facing multiple challenges receive the support and resources they need to thrive.

Free, voluntary, confidential & strength-based

Healthy Families Mendocino County services are free for all Mendocino County residents! Visits can take place in the home or in a community setting, and are tailored to each family’s strengths. Services are available in English and Spanish through bilingual family support specialists, and a professional translation service allows the program to support families in more than 240 languages, ensuring that all families have access to care in their preferred language.

Anyone can refer themselves to the program, or a community organization can submit referrals for families to the program.

To learn about the national program please visit the Healthy Families America website