The Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program is a voluntary home visitation program for all first time parents (mothers and fathers).  Participation in HANDS can begin during pregnancy or anytime before a child is 3 months old.  The first step to enroll in HANDS is to complete a true/false questionnaire.  Afterwards, the family is visited by a parent visitor who can discuss any questions or concerns about pregnancy or a baby’s first years. 

All families receive information and learn about resources available in Anderson County at the first visit.  As a bonus for accepting the first home visit, all families will receive a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart.  Families who choose to continue the program will receive further support through home visitation by a family visitor.  Parents will participate in activities that stimulate their child’s growth and development, and “Ages & Stages” questionnaires are done every few months to let parents know that their baby is growing and developing in healthy ways.

Research has shown that families that participate in HANDS have fewer premature infants, fewer low birth weight babies, and fewer developmental delays.  Parent participants report improvement in coping skills, decreased stress, and better discipline techniques.  HANDS believes that parents are the most important people in a baby’s life and that parenting is a very demanding job.  All parents have worries, questions, and stress; HANDS is there to provide parents with support in developing a positive parent-child relationship.