In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is recognizing the critical role prevention programs play in keeping children safe and strengthening families.

“MDHHS is committed to ensuring families have access to the support they need, when they need it,” Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, said in a news release. “Early support helps families stay strong and stable to enable children to grow up safe and healthy, and for communities to thrive.”

Research demonstrates that positive childhood experiences — such as feeling safe, supported by family and connected to community — are linked to better health outcomes, higher educational attainment and improved economic well-being throughout a person’s lifespan, MDHHS states in the release.

The department’s Keep Kids Safe Action Agenda focuses on five key categories: prevention, intervention, stability, wellness and workforce to ensure the best possible support for children and families.

In the area of prevention, MDHHS has made significant progress, including —

— Creating a structured decision-making tool that guides staff who receive calls of suspected child abuse and neglect to the state’s toll-free hotline.

— Launching a vulnerable�’children protocol for county offices to help identify early signs of potential harm with added safety reviews for very young children who are unable to fully speak yet.

— Developing protocols to provide guidance for child welfare staff to talk with families about firearm safety.

Through the Children’s Services Administration teaming model, MDHHS is overhauling how services are delivered to Michigan families. The teaming model provides employees with clear and distinct roles and guidance on collaboration expectations to provide support for families from the moment they enter the child welfare system. This team can include caseworkers, supervisors, family resource specialists and other support roles.

Additionally, MDHHS partners with child welfare organizations support a full range of prevention services that help reduce the risk of maltreatment and family separation, strengthen a family’s capacity to thrive and promote child safety and family well-being.

Examples of prevention programs and initiatives include —

— MI Parenting Resource, a primary prevention program provided by Michigan State University with support from MDHHS that offers a collection of videos introducing research-supported strategies for common caregiving concerns, such as how to increase child cooperation, teach children new behaviors, and identify and manage emotions.

— Michigan Home Visiting, a free, voluntary primary prevention program that helps reduce incidences of child abuse and neglect by partnering with families to improve self-sufficiency, family and child health and school readiness. The goal of home visits is to make sure parents are supported to help their children grow and develop in a safe environment.

A key tertiary prevention strategy offered through MDHHS is MiFamily Together, a two-year pilot initiative designed to provide flexible preservation services tailored to a family’s unique circumstances. After positive pilot outcomes, MiFamily Together is anticipated to expand statewide in October.

Additionally, Children Trust Michigan, a non-profit housed within MDHHS, funds primary and secondary prevention programs for families, ranging from baby pantries, car seats, parent education and help with concrete needs such as utilities and transportation.

More information on child abuse prevention and family preservation services can be found on the MDHHS website. Many programs are managed at the county level, so contacting a local MDHHS office or Children Trust Michigan partner can provide regional information.