A 5-YEAR PLAN
In 2017, the Mary Black Foundation envisioned the Healthy Families Initiative (HFI), a five-year effort to support and strengthen families through the expansion of an evidence-based parenting intervention, the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), across Spartanburg County. We sought out a variety of partners representing different sectors (i.e., medical, education, faith community) to increase outreach and service to families.
UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS
From the beginning, the HFI was about partnership. To reach families throughout Spartanburg County, the Foundation relied on a variety of organizations. First, we engaged a statewide leader in child abuse prevention, the Children’s Trust of SC, and the national office of Triple P America to support training and implementation among our partners in Spartanburg County.
Next, we sought out a strong partner that could serve as the countywide Coordinating Agency, Hope Center for Children (HCFC). HCFC had already been providing Triple P services in Spartanburg County; therefore, was an ideal partner to coordinate services among a variety of implementing partners.
Our most important partners were the local organizations that agreed to provide Triple P programming to the families they serve. These Implementing Agencies ensured access to programming across the county and in various settings. They served families with children from prenatal through age 18, utilizing different Triple P curricula with age-appropriate interventions.
MBF INVESTMENT
From 2017-2022, the Foundation provided $913,000 in grants to the Coordinating Agency (HCFC) and the Implementing Agencies to provide Triple P services throughout Spartanburg County. Additionally, the Foundation invested over $200,000 in training, evaluation, and a countywide marketing campaign to support effective implementation.
RESULTS
Through this initiative, 1,628 parents and caregivers have participated in nearly 550 opportunities that built skills and competencies through 3,375 in-person seminars, discussion groups, and one-on-one sessions with trained Triple P practitioners. Online programs developed during the height of the pandemic are not included in the evaluation data.
WHAT’S NEXT
In the final years of the initiative, significant efforts were made to reinforce relationships and ensure the infrastructure needed to sustain the programming. These efforts garnered additional funding through the newly launched Hello Family Pay-for-Success project and the Children’s Trust of South Carolina’s statewide Triple P expansion project. The combination of these two resources will allow for the Foundation’s investment to continue for many years to come. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this investment will yield in the future for children and families across the county.
