Family Advocacy Program's Classes and Programs, January 2009:

* Registration is required for all classes. Please call for more information or to register.

Victim Advocacy & Sexual Assault Response Program: This program provides advocacy and support to active duty and civilian victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Unrestricted and restricted reporting options are offered. Certain protocol must be followed in order to use the specific reporting procedures, and protocol questions can be answered by the Installation Victim Advocate.

Nurturing Parenting Program: This program is specifically designed to improve the nurturing skills of parents with children ages birth to twelve years of age. It promotes parental bonding, and understanding the development of children. Parents and children work and play together during family time. Child care is not a problem, as children also attend their own classes.

New Parent Support Program: What am I going to do? I am a new mom/dad and I really wish I had someone to help me with my new baby. She/he won’t stop crying and I don’t know what to do. I am expecting a new baby, but I don’t know what it will be like after he/she is born. Doesthis sound familiar to you? This program is geared for parents with children, prenatal and up to three years of age. One-on-one home flexible home visitation is provided, as well as information on child development, discipline, and parenting.

Daddy Boot Camp: Are you a new or expecting father? Want to find out what changes will take place after baby is born, or even before baby comes home? Have lunch and meet other dads who may be experiencing the same anxiety and excitement of becoming a new father. This class is geared just for new or expecting dads.

Parent Education: What am I going to do with my teenager? He/she is driving me crazy and I don’t know what to do. Classes are provided to parents of teenagers, ages 13 years and up. Classes are provided monthly, and offer information related to handling those challenging teen years.

Emergency Placement Care: This program provides 24-hour full-time care to children who need a safe environment. Emergency Placement Care (EPC) parents are recruited, trained and certified.  They provide temporary child care while decisions are being made whether to return the child to the natural family or legal guardians. EPC is meant to be a short-term home placement with a minimum of three days and a maximum of 90 days stay in an EPC home. A daily stipend, payable after the placement, is provided to the EPC family to offset costs associated with the child(ren)’s stay. 

Couples Communication/Relationship Enrichment: Couples learn techniques on how to better understand each other by learning to listen, being assertive without blaming, communicating effectively through verbal and nonverbal messaging, and having fun together.

Healthy Relationships: Adult healthy relationship classes are available to service members, civilian employees and family members. The purpose of these classes is to provide education, promote awareness, and prevent unhealthy and abusive relationships. Participants will learn about effective communication, promoting equality in relationships, and the warning signs in situations where abuse occurs. Individuals will discuss their rights and responsibilities in their relationships, and how to build and maintain a healthy relationship with their partner.

Anger Management: This course-workshop teaches recognition of the symptoms of anger, causes of anger, and ways of coping with anger. Participants will learn how to control/resolve their anger.

Divorce Group for Children or Youth: A group offered to the Heidelberg Middle School students discussing issues and feelings related to divorce. It helps children understand that the divorce is not their fault, and helps to increase coping skills. It also provides a forum for children to support one another and share experiences. 

Education on Prevention of Child Abuse: Promotes the awareness of child abuse, the signs of child abuse and modes to prevent child abuse, to include presenting effective disciplining techniques.  This program focuses on why abuse and neglect happens, strategies on how to relieve family stress, and ways to praise and promote self-esteem in children. 

Education on Prevention of Domestic Violence: Teaches about the cycle of violence, focuses on controlling behavior (power and control wheel), and how to replace inappropriate with appropriate behavior (freedom wheel). This program promotes the prevention of domestic violence by recognizing better ways of communication, coping with stress and anger, and understanding the consequences of domestic violence on families and children.

Child Lures: A class offered to elementary through high school students. This program promotes the prevention of sexual abuse and abduction by providing students with the information and techniques in dealing with predators. It is designed to safeguard your child by teaching him/her to recognize and thwart the lures (techniques to attract children) used by child molesters and abductors to disarm and abuse youngsters. The child lures are discussed in depth using role-play and scenarios. A video is used to show children fictional demonstrations of lures that have actually been used. This program is offered yearly to the local Heidelberg schools.