The New Parent Support Program is a professional team of social workers and nurses who provide supportive and caring services to military Families with children from birth to three years of age. Our home visitors are knowledgeable about parenting issues and are sensitive to the unique challenges facing military Families. Through a variety of programs including home visits and parenting classes, the New Parent Support Program will help you learn to cope with stress, isolation, post-deployment reunions, and the everyday demands of parenthood. This voluntary participation program was developed to assist military Families in many ways that friends and Family would do if you were “back home.”
Programs for Expectant Parents or Parents with Newborns:
Baby Bumps—Provides education and support to expectant moms. Come to commiserate or share the wonders with other expectant mothers.
Bringing Home Baby—Learn how to care for your newborn. Information on how to prenatal and postnatal care for mother, how to care for your properly care for your newborn. Safety awareness regarding SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and Shaken Baby Syndrome are highlighted.
Support Groups
Newborn Network—Newborn Network is an educational support group for parents with children under 1 year of age. Discussion covers a wide variety of topics ranging from growth and development, purple crying to answering questions about breastfeeding or post-partum depression.
Other groups are available upon request or as the need is identified. Contact New Parent Support for more information.
Home Visitation Services
During a home visit, a NPSP staff member provides guidance regarding normal growth and development, and addresses common concerns regarding issues such as breastfeeding, sleeping, nutrition, and behavior management. A NPSP home visitor can also provide a wealth of information on resources and activities in the local community. The NPSP is available to Families regardless of whether they live on or off of the installation. Office visits are also available. Every professional program staff member must be degreed and licensed as a: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Marriage and Family Therapist; or Registered Nurse (RN). In addition, all staff must complete a criminal background check.
What if we’re not new parents?
Even if you’ve been raising your children for a few years, new ages and stages bring different challenges. The New Parent Support Program provides you with the opportunity to express your concerns and to ask questions about babies, infants, and young children.
What can the New Parent Support Program do for me?
The program offers expectant parents and parents of newborns and young children the opportunity to learn new skills as parents and to improve on old ones. There are often many questions about the needs of infants and young children. The New Parent Support Program is a reliable source of information and answers to your parenting questions.
Who is eligible for this program?
Military Families expecting a child or with children from birth to three years of age. The program and services are free of charge.
What if this isn’t our first baby?
Family dynamics can change with the addition of a new sibling to the Family. More than one child in the home can increase demands on your time. This program helps develop support networks and answers questions while your Family experiences these changes. Sometimes, there may be stress within the marital relationship and we can help you address some of these issues and open the lines of communication.
Home or Office Visits?
Home or office visits are arranged at your convenience. Families can schedule visits so that both parents can be present to learn about parenting or acquire new skills in caring for a growing Family.
How do we enroll?
Call Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.—5 p.m., DSN 485-8188 or CIV 06783-6-8188, or stop by our offices at Baumholder Army Community Service, BLDG 8746, Health Dispensary Complex.
Helpful Links:
http://www.dontshake.org/
http://www.zerotothree.org/
http://www.preventchildabuse.org/
http://www.boystown.org/
The Department of Defense (DoD) offers the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Overseas Program to eligible overseas beneficiaries. The WIC Overseas Program provides participants and their families with important benefits, including:
• Nutrition and health screenings
• Nutritious food
• Tips on how to prepare balanced meals
• Access to other resources that help you and your family lead healthier lives
Eligibility
• Active duty service members and their family members
• DoD civilian employees and their family members
• DoD contractors and their family members
Those who may be eligible for the WIC Overseas Program include:
• Expectant mothers—during pregnancy and throughout the first six weeks after giving birth
• Mothers—until the infant is 6 months old if bottle-feeding or 1 year old if breast-feeding
• Infants and children—until the end of the month in which they turn age 5
Contact your local WIC Overseas office to determine if you and your children are eligible for the WIC Overseas Program. WIC Overseas counselors determine eligibility by evaluating income, family size, and other criteria. If you are eligible, the counselor will help you get started and determine how long you can participate in the program. Visit www.tricare.mil/wic to locate the nearest WIC Overseas office.
Note: If you are enrolled in the WIC Program in the United States and have transferred overseas, call your local WIC Overseas office to see if you remain eligible to participate in the WIC Overseas Program.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Overseas Program Benefits
The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Overseas Program provides several important benefits: nutritious food that will contribute to a healthier diet, education on nutrition and proper diet, tips on how to prepare a balanced meal, nutrition and health screening, and access to other resources to lead a healthy life. WIC Overseas is designed to provide additional nutritional food items to supplement other foods purchased by eligible beneficaries.
The WIC Overseas Program is designed to supplement the food you regularly buy with additional nutritious foods. WIC Overseas Program staff will provide ideas for meal planning, food preparation, and recipes that are nutritious, delicious, and easy to prepare. Your counselor will give you an approved food list and redeemable food checks called “drafts,” which you redeem for specific foods and quantities in overseas commissaries and NEXMARTs (drafts are accepted only at these overseas stores).
Food items generally available through the WIC Overseas Program include:
Milk • Cheese• Fresh fruits and vegetables• Dried beans or peas• Eggs• Infant fruits and vegetables• Iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal• Iron-fortified adult cereal• Peanut butter• Vitamin C-rich fruit and/or vegetable juice• Whole-grain bread and/or brown rice• Canned tuna, salmon, and mackerel
For Information and Assistance:
You can learn more about WIC Overseas Program benefits and eligibility at the Baumholder WIC Overseas office DSN, 485-8001 or CIV, 06783-6-8001.
An Important Note about TRICARE Program Information:
At the time of this post, this information is current. It is important to remember that TRICARE policies and benefits are governed by public law and federal regulations. Changes to TRICARE programs are continually made as public law and/or federal regulations are amended. Military treatment facility guidelines and policies may be different than those outlined in this product. For the most recent information, contact your TRICARE regional contractor, TRICARE Service Center, or local military treatment facility.
WIC is not affiliated with Army Community Service. WIC information is provided on Army Community Service website as a courtesy.
