Description: A healthy pregnancy has a lasting influence on a child's health and development. USD 489 Early Childhood Connections provides services to support expectant moms through their Parents as Teachers and Early Head Start programs.

Eligibility: Early Head Start is open to pregnant women & families with children birth to 3 in Ellis, Rush, Rooks and Russell Counties. Income eligibility is required. Families also qualify if they are experiencing homelessness, receive SSI, TANF or are in the foster care system. Parents as Teachers is open to pregnant women & families with children birth to Kindergarten living in the USD 489 (Hays) or USD 407 (Russell) school districts. There are no other eligibility requirements for PAT.

 Services: Depending on the program model, pregnant mothers can receive weekly or monthly home visits with a qualified Parent Educator. Topics include what to expect during pregnancy, labor & delivery, postpartum recovery, benefits of breastfeeding, infant care, sibling relationships, transition to parenthood and other local resources.  After the baby is born, families can continue with Early Head Start or Parents as Teachers services.

Click here for additional prenatal resources.