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Davidson County community health team expands home visits, Triple P parenting and outreach
Summary
Crystal Swink, supervisor for Davidson County's community health team, described expanded outreach including Triple P parenting classes (infant, child and teen tracks), postpartum home visits for Medicaid clients, certified car'seat checks and partnerships with local YMCAs and housing authorities.
Crystal Swink, supervisor for the health department's community health team, told the Board of Health that the program has grown countywide with new staffing and a widening set of services to reach residents across the lifespan.
"We're trying to empower the residents here in Davidson County to make informed decisions about their health care," Swink said, describing a team that includes community health social workers, a public health planner and care managers.
Swink outlined several concrete services: tailored health education and chronic disease prevention presentations at senior congregate sites and YMCAs; community case management at clinic walk'in hours; Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) seminars for parents of children ages 0—2, a teen track for ages 13—7 and a new accredited Triple P baby module for expectant and new mothers. She said local partners include the Tommy Finch YMCA, J. Smith Young YMCA, Thomasville Housing Authority, Head Start and foster care agencies.
The supervisor said some parents attend Triple P as part of custody or reunification plans coordinated with foster care and child protective services, and that voluntary participants also find the classes useful. She credited staff for fostering peer support: "Sometimes parents get a buddy system for transportation so nobody misses a session," she said.
Swink also described practical services: Leslie Diaz is certified as a child passenger safety technician and offers comprehensive car seat checks by appointment (inspecting for recalls, expiration dates and correct fit for a child's height and weight). Swink described postpartum newborn home visits offered to Davidson County residents with active Medicaid within 60 days postpartum; visits cover infant care, safe sleep, postpartum depression screening, contraception counseling and referrals.
Swink said the department runs medication administration training for unlicensed assisted personnel in group homes and participates widely in community health fairs and events to build connections and refer residents to services.
Board members praised the outreach and asked staff to continue tracking outcomes; Swink and colleagues said they will follow up with metrics on participation and referrals as available.
