CUNA

Program Description

CUNA provides linguistically and culturally appropriate prenatal health, education and support for at risk and isolated Latina pregnant women, birth fathers and their families. Services are provided in a welcoming supportive environment. This program is an integrated partnership between The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey and Capital Health System in collaboration with Henry J. Austin Health Center and the Puerto Rican Community Day Care Center. CUNA has adopted and expanded the March of Dimes’ curriculum, Comenzando Bien. Our goal is to ensure positive birth outcomes and establish a social support network for Latino families in Mercer County.

A. Services of the Program

*Bebés Unidos Resultados Positivos (BURP) - Meaning “Uniting Babies for Positive Results” is a new program developed by The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey for the CUNA Program targeting Latino families with newborn babies up to infants 12 months of age. The program is nine (9) weeks in duration for a total of 14 hours of quality support group interaction, parenting skills development and early childhood development and education. The BURP program contains a strong cultural component targeting the individual needs of program participants from various Latin American countries. The program was originally created to: (1) start interactions and encourage a close relationship between parent and child, (2) get parents to stimulate brain development in their infants, (3) create awareness for the parents of typical and atypical infant behaviors, (4) provide parents with activities they can do with their babies at home, (5) model and encourage positive parenting skills, (6) change and/or modify negative behaviors among parents (that may affect the child), (7) create an interest in books and music for the child. One of the main goals of the program is to create a strong support network between families who participate in the BURP program (one that will extend beyond the support group setting) while parents learn new parenting ideas from their peers.

Bilingual Fun with Books and Music Program - The relationship between the parent and child is critical to the child’s development, with particular focus on the formation of the cognitive pre-literacy skills necessary for learning. This relationship encompasses the motivation of the parents for their child’s development and their feelings for the well-being of their child. These components provide the foundation for the Fun with Books and Music program, which emphasizes the joy of parent’s interaction with their children in achieving cognitive goals. Thus, both the parent’s literacy and the child’s pre-literacy skills are developed and enhanced through mutual interaction. Part of the program’s mission is to also include bilingual and bicultural activities for Spanish-speaking families in the Trenton area (utilizing typical games from Latin America as well as bilingual/bicultural books and music from their native countries). The objectives of the program is (1) to encourage and develop the skill and ability of the parent to read books to the child at home; (2) to foster nurturing interaction that includes both physical and emotional experiences; (3) to create a joyful atmosphere by using other modalities including music, dancing, arts and crafts, play and story telling; (4) to assist in the facilitation of other cognitive skills such as talking, selected use of television, and community activities; (5) to help parents reduce their stress levels; (6) to teach the whole family how to enhance their cognitive environment. Families with children between the ages of 0-6 years old can participate in this program.

Bilingual Parenting Academy (BPA) – In collaboration with the Children’s Futures North Ward Parent Child Center, CUNA offers a monthly parenting group on the last Wednesday of every month. Families who have participated in CUNA as well as mothers who are actively involved with the CUNA Prenatal Education Support Group join mothers enrolled in the Children’s Futures Program to learn more about early developmental stages of the child, parenting skills and community resources.

CUNA’s Mentoring Program “Mujeres, Amigas y Apoyo” (MAYA) – CUNA’s mentoring program, known as MAYA (meaning Women, Friends and Support in English) is a unique component of the CUNA Prenatal Education Support Group Program. Women who have successfully graduated from the 35 hours of prenatal education cycle, and who express an interest in continuing with their involvement with the CUNA program are invited to serve as mentors during subsequent CUNA cycles. CUNA mentoring moms serve as additional support during classroom activities as well as outside the agency by offering their time and genuine concern for other first time mothers in a supportive and welcoming environment. CUNA’s mentoring program is completely voluntary and women involved in the program do so as part of a normal transition that takes place during and after the group cycles.

**Father Child Birth Preparation Class – A free three-hour Child Birth Education Class once a month for non-English Speaking Latino Fathers (and expectant mother) is facilitated by a certified child birth educator/lactation specialist and a father whose wife graduated from the CUNA Prenatal Health Education and Support Group Program. The father serves as a co-facilitator by sharing his experiences during his wife’s pregnancy and during labor and delivery. As with all CUNA programs, a strong cultural component is added to all activities and discussions. The co-facilitator serves as a volunteer and is under the guidance of the child birth educator (this person does not offer any medical advice). The class is open to anyone in Mercer County who is unable to attend any of our CUNA daytime programs.

CUNA’s Prenatal Health Education & Support groups – The program offers information, support and resources for pregnant mothers in regard to early stages of pregnancy, pre-natal care, nutrition, testing, breastfeeding as well as: Lamaze Classes, prenatal nutrition classes, information and community referrals, hospital orientation tours, lactation classes, interpretation and referrals, transportation and childcare, meals, gifts and donations, in-hospital advocacy services, bilingual lactation support line. The program meets twice a week for a period of 3 hours each time (total of 6 hours per week) for a period of 6 week. In total, program participants complete 12 sessions and an average of 36-40 hours of prenatal health education in a supportive and welcoming environment. Approximately 15-20 women are enrolled during each of the 6 cycles that are offered during the calendar year.

*BURP began as a pilot program in the summer of 2005. Three additional cycles (9 weeks each cycle) have been completed serving a total of 25 families and 25 infants under the age of 12 months. Additional funding is needed to continue this program on an ongoing basis. Two cycles were scheduled for the 2006-2007 fiscal year (fall & spring).

**This program is a pilot program. Two seminars were completed during the 2005-2006 fiscal year serving a total of 17 couples (a total of 34 individuals) the majority of them being first time parents. Two additional seminars are being scheduled for the 2006-2007 fiscal year (fall and spring). Additional funding is needed to continue this program on an ongoing basis.

Auxiliary and Supportive Services

• Postnatal Support Groups – Offer information, support and resources for new mothers and their infants with regard to child development, safety, nutrition, discipline, and family dynamics as well as: Health and parenting education seminars, bilingual parent academy, breastfeeding support, bilingual fun with books and music programs, postnatal nutrition classes, transportation, childcare, meals, donations and interpretation, information and referrals.
• Mother’s Nursing Room – A Service of the CUNA Program at The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey. From Monday through Friday (with the exception Holidays). From 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (breastfeeding support service). Electric Double Breast Pumps Available on site and for overnight use. Spanish and English educational materials free of charge. (Ongoing Service)
• Group Baby Showers & Donations – They serve as an additional resource for mothers who may have difficulty in acquiring baby items and resources for their baby and themselves during and after pregnancy. Sponsors, volunteers, donors and other community groups may assist in-kind contributions and supplies for group baby showers.
• Intake and Office Visits – to offer follow-up and individualized services, linking mothers and fathers to existing needed services.
• Information and Referrals – for first time mothers and families in need of additional supportive services such as counseling, food and clothing donations, utility assistance, etc.
• Marketing and Community Education – The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey contributes to a monthly column in Vision Latina and Mercer County’s Latino Enterprise magazine covering pregnancy, parenting issues, culture and family dynamics. Regular educational segments in WZBN TV25 En Español and other local Spanish magazines, news media and community presentations to the Children’s Futures center in the North Ward of Trenton are offered throughout the year.
• CUNA Newsletter (NENE) - A developmental guide in Spanish for families who graduate from the CUNA Prenatal Health Education and Support Group programs. It is also targeting Latino (Spanish-speaking families) throughout the agency and other programs such as the Children’s Futures North Ward Center clients, Bilingual Fun with Books and Music families, professional contacts throughout the community, etc. The newsletter is distributed twice a year. CUNA graduates as well as community partners write Spanish articles for the newspaper.
• Liaison services at Capital Health System – A CUNA Patient Liaison funded by Capital Health System offers interpretation, advocacy, information and support services through the Health Start Prenatal Clinic to all pregnant Latina women receiving medical care at the hospital.