Input from the community today has the potential to shape the services that can help, support and connect families with newborns and toddlers to a broader range of local resources starting in 2026.
SEARHC is engaging in an assessment, survey and planning period to broaden services for families, particularly those with newborns and toddlers, through a grant to establish a Healthy Families Early Start program for communities in Southeast.
Kari Johnson, the community wellness manager for SEARHC, is encouraging anyone with children, planning to have children or working with children to take the Healthy Families Early Start survey at http://www.searhc.org/healthy-family-survey. The survey period closes Saturday, Feb. 15.
This year the focus is on assessment and evaluation of the services in Sitka, Wrangell, Angoon, Haines, Klukwan, Klawock and Craig to determine what is already available and what services are needed.
Each community has its own strengths and needs, Johnson said. She was surprised to discover resources in Haines, where she is based, that even she had not known about. Part of the work this year will be to identify the range of services in towns to better connect families with assistance in, or close to, their own community within Southeast.
While Johnson and her team have already started to reach out to community providers and tribal leaders, they are seeking the input and guidance of families within each community.
An in-person survey in Wrangell took place at the Wellness Fair last October; now they are casting a wider net through the online survey. The survey asks for no identifying information but focuses on general information like family size, number of children and financial resources.
There are a variety of topics, from prenatal education to parenting skills for people to identify their interests and needs. There is also an opportunity to add areas that aren’t listed; SEARHC wants feedback to make sure they are making decisions that will best serve each community.
Too often with these kinds of programs, Johnson said, decisions are made for those who are being served, rather than by those who are being served. Planning for services including well-child exams, breastfeeding counseling, nutrition assistance, infant safety, dental care, physical therapy and mental health support will be guided by the survey results.
After this year of information gathering and assessment, actual services are anticipated to be available in early 2026, with in-home visits by experienced nurses and health care professionals for assessment and referral to community-based support and care services.
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