#provhousecle

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Infant mortality and local impact Cuyahoga County has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the United States. In 2015, over 155 babies died before they could reach their first birthday. Some of the leading causes for these deaths were extreme prematurity and preventable sleep-related deaths. Providence House helps ensure Every Child reaches their 1st birthday Parents with infants seek help from Providence House when they are homeless or have unsafe housing, need medical treatment, are having trouble meeting their family's basic needs, or are feeling overwhelmed and do not have support from friends or family to care for their little one. Parents with children up to 10 years old also come to us when they need help during high risk pregnancies, during the delivery of their new addition, or to care for post-pregnancy maternal health problems. Last year, 39 children under one year old stayed at Providence House. Some of these infants were born premature, narcotic weaned, or diagnosed Failure to Thrive, making them even more vulnerable. We also cared for 51 older siblings whose mom had medical or mental health needs, had been assigned bed rest, or needed support when she went to the hospital for delivery. 94% of these children were reunited with their family after mom was able to receive the care and support she needed. How Providence House helped Angela and her family Providence House provided support to Angela, a mom who was five months pregnant and also caring for her three year old son. Her doctor prescribed bedrest after discovering that her unborn child's heart was not developing correctly. To comply with the doctor's recommendations and ensure a healthy pregnancy, Angela had to quit her job, sell her car, and figure out how to still be able to provide for her growing family. After experiencing domestic violence from a former partner, she was also living in a shelter waiting for safe housing to become available. Angela had no other support and reached out to Providence House to care for her son and help her with housing and benefits. During her son's stay, Angela was able to move into public housing, receive cash assistance until she was able to work again, and enroll her son in daycare. She was also able to follow her doctor's bed rest orders and receive the necessary prenatal and maternity care she needed. Angela gave birth to her son at 37 weeks, which was several weeks longer than the doctors expected. Her newborn immediately received surgery to repair his heart valve and is now healthy and thriving. Once discharged from the hospital, Angela was able to reunite with both sons in her new housing. She continues to engage with Providence House in the Aftercare program to receive continued help from a Providence House social worker to enroll her newborn in daycare and secure employment to care for her family. Providence House families share their experiences "My children stayed at Providence House when I couldn't take care of them based on my medical needs and doctors had ordered bed rest. I wish I could return the favor to Providence House. They helped my pregnancy be successful. I thank all the staff and social workers for being here for me and my family. It means more than you would know." "Our personal visits with our child were great and teaching me how to feed him correctly and care for him were the most positive experiences. Thank you for helping me fix my family!"

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On May 24, 2017, Natalie Leek-Nelson, CEO and President of Providence House, testified in front of the Senate Finance: Health and Medicaid Subcommittee to advocate for Crisis Care Facilities in Ohio. Knowing that the average annual cost for each child in foster care is nearly $26,000, Providence House services saved over $8.4 million in foster care costs last year alone.

98% of the children who stayed at Providence House last year were reunited with their parent or guardian after an average length of stay of 25 days, and 92% of families were fully engaged with our recommended support services. Of those, 85% of parents felt their family stability increased after their child's stay in our nurseries.

Read Natalie's full testimony to the Senate Finance: Health and Medicaid Subcommittee here.

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In the midst of Ohio’s devastating opioid crisis, the Center for Community Solutions underscored findings from the 2017 PCSAO Factbook to demonstrate the urgent and growing need for a state-wide investment in children’s services.

Providence House has been caring for children of parents struggling with substance abuse since its founding, and Ohio ranks second in the country for number of overdoses related to heroin. In the past five years, we have cared for 59 children whose parents struggled with substance abuse, including alcohol, opioids, and other drugs, and 85% of these children were reunified with their parent or guardian. Learn more about our two-generation approach to stabilizing family crisis and preserving Ohio’s families here.

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On December 6, 2016, Providence House hosted its 21st Annual Deck the House Benefit at First Energy Stadium, the home of the Cleveland Browns. Attendees gathered in support of the our mission to fight child abuse and neglect by protecting at-risk children, empowering families in crisis, and building safer communities for every child. Nearly 700 guests enjoyed holiday entertainment by the North Coast Men’s Chorus, while bidding on more than 200 live and silent auction items. Major prizes included a trip to Antigua, all-inclusive events hosted by Skylight Financial and Crop Bistro, the Cleveland Indians’ owner’s loge at Progressive Field, and a chance to cheer on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas day against the Golden State Warriors.

During the event, Browns’ cornerback Joe Haden (#23) was presented with the Ed Block Courage Award by Gordon Williams; Haden’s teammates nominated him as a role model who embodied inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. Following the award, the Cleveland Browns presented Providence House with a gift of $5,000 to support our work with families in crisis throughout Greater Cleveland.

This year, Deck the House raised a tremendous $163,000. Providence House is truly humbled by the generosity of our Deck the House guests, sponsors, community partners, volunteers, and the Cleveland Browns for their continued partnership. Visit the Providence House Facebook page to see more photos of this fantastic holiday event!

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This video from Futures Without Violence tells us how both positive and negative experiences can impact a child’s brain, cognitive, and social-emotional development. They suggest a number of healing gestures that adults can use to prevent or reverse damage associated with children’s exposure to violence. These include: 1. Celebrating them with a compliment 2. Comforting them by staying calm and patient 3. Listening to them 4. Collaborating with them by asking their opinions 5. Inspiring them with new ideas Providence House operates within a trauma-informed environment, and our Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioners train all staff members and volunteers to address and alleviate the symptoms of trauma for both our parents and children. Our two-generation approach helps us protect children at-risk of maltreatment, alleviate family crisis, and empower parents in their roles as nurturing caregivers. Learn more about our trauma-informed care here.

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Providence House has been protecting children and empowering families in crisis for more than 35 years. However, over the last three years we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of children and families who need our help. The number of calls to Cuyahoga County’s 696-KIDS hotline to report child abuse and neglect reached nearly 50,000 last year alone, and the need is growing.

Last year, Providence House received 734 inquiries, 398 children qualified, and 326 children from 166 families were admitted into our Crisis and Wellness Nursery Programs for a total of 4,609 days of care – this was our largest client population ever and a 17% increase from the prior year. In just the last three years, Providence House has seen a 110% increase in inquiries for admission and a 70% increase in children’s admissions – and yet, our waiting list continues to grow. We expect to care for more than 400 children from 200+ families in the coming year. There is much more work to be done, but we are grateful that more families are choosing Providence House to help protect their children and stabilize family crisis.

Visit our website to learn more about our plans for the future, and how we help strengthen communities by empowering families in need.

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Moms Say, “Don’t Make Policy About Us, Without Us!”

Co-Authored by Lisa Dodson, Senior Scientist and Faculty at the Institute for Children, Youth and Family Policy, Brandeis University. Lisa is a speci...

A recent Huffington Post article entitled “Moms Say, “Don’t Make Policy About Us, Without Us!” outlines an alarming disconnect between policy makers and the low-income families their policies directly impact. Many families fall victim to the “benefit cliff,” or rely on safety net programs, which are often under the threat of cuts. Some of these programs are so difficult to navigate that parents feel they were designed to make them fail – one mother even described the system as her own “Bermuda triangle.” According to the article, surveyed parents expressed a need for policies to invest in families and children. In our 35 year history, Providence House has cared for nearly 8,000 families and children in crisis with an average annual household income of less than $10,000. Over the past three years, we have seen a 110% increase in inquiries for our services. Our families come to us from more than 30 zip codes throughout Greater Cleveland, and are facing a range of crises, including poverty, homelessness, caregiver medical or mental health crisis and domestic violence. To prevent and combat the effects of these crises, we use a two-generation approach to provide support to stabilize the family and further healthy child development. Visit our website to learn more about how we empower families in crisis.

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This summer, some of our friends generously shared their “Lemonade Love” with the babies and children of Providence House by donating the proceeds from their lemonade stands. A little lemonade really does provide a lot of love -- $56 of lemonade love can provide 1 day of meals for our children, $110 of lemonade love can provide 1 day of diapers for our babies, and $149 of lemonade love can provide medical care for one child. We’re so grateful to our friends who shared their “Lemonade Love” with the children of Providence House – any amount makes a difference!

If you’re interested in sharing the love, Providence House provides printable materials for hosting your own lemonade stand here. Or visit our website for other fundraiser ideas to benefit our babies and children.