Strengthening families: How Child & Family Services and Public Health Services work together
Olmsted County is strengthening how it supports families by building on decades of collaboration between Child & Family Services and Public Health Services. Together, these teams provide coordinated, whole family support—combining the expertise of social workers and public health nurses to address health needs, parenting challenges, and child development.
“This collaboration reflects our shared belief that strengthening families starts with building trust and reducing barriers,” said Child & Family Services Program Manager Kari Hohn. “When our teams work together, families experience more stability, more clarity, and more confidence.”
A unified approach for family well‑being
Many families receive help from multiple county programs, and the shared approach ensures they get consistent, aligned care. This work is guided by five protective factors known to improve outcomes for children and caregivers: parental resilience, strong social connections, knowledge of child development, concrete support, and children’s social emotional skills.
Key programs
A key feature of these programs is the team‑based approach. Each family is supported by both a Public Health nurse and a Child & Family Services social worker, who meet regularly, coordinate plans, and align goals to ensure consistent, seamless care.
Parent Support and Outreach Program (PSOP)
PSOP provides voluntary, short-term help with navigating resources, parenting support, and planning daily routines. It also offers specialized services for parents with substance use concerns or past child protection involvement.
Child Adult Relationship Enrichment (CARE)
CARE is a two-year prevention program for parents diagnosed with mental illness who are raising young children. It focuses on strengthening parent‑child relationships through coaching, developmental guidance, guided parent–child play, and support for managing stress
Public Health Services’ Family Home Visiting program offers prenatal and early childhood home visits, developmental screenings, postpartum visits, car seat safety checks, and support for children with special health needs. In 2025, the program completed 4,005 home visits and distributed 384 car seats.
Despite its reach, many families that could benefit from FHV are not accessing the service. The program currently serves only 10–20% of eligible families, underscoring the need for continued outreach to help families take advantage of this resource.
These programs provide voluntary, long-term visiting services to pregnant and parenting teenagers (Bright Futures) and first-time parents who are 18 years or older (Baby Steps). They promote health pregnancy and parent-child relationships, focusing on the healthy social-emotional and physical development of the child. Families receive support and information regarding a healthy pregnancy, child development, housing, finances/budgeting, health care, childcare, and education/work goals.
Hope and Reach
The Hope and Reach programs provide tailored support to families with young children who are facing a variety of challenges. Reach serves minority families with children birth to age five, offering case management that expands access to early childhood education, connects families to community resources, and provides advocacy through home or community visits. Hope supports families experiencing more complex barriers—such as housing instability, generational poverty, historical trauma, mental health or substance use challenges, and educational or employment needs. Through trauma‑informed case management and coordinated connections to early intervention, public health, and other essential resources, both programs help strengthen family stability and promote healthy child development.
Mental health and parenting supports
Additional evidence-based services—including Mothers and Babies, Parenting Inside Out, cannabis-use referrals, and doula collaborations—extend support to families facing mental health challenges, incarceration, or substance use.
Building a stronger community
“Public Health Services and Child & Family Services each bring unique strengths. Working together helps us see the full picture of a family’s health, development, daily stressors, and safety, and respond with support that meets their needs,” said Healthy Children and Families Manager Sarah Stevens.
By aligning child welfare and public health services, Olmsted County is creating a more connected and effective safety net for families. The message is simple and reassuring:
“You’ve got this. We’ve got you.”