Who is eligible to participate in the program?
Families must be Medicaid eligible to receive the home-based services of a FOS Advocate (currently 185% of Federal Poverty guidelines for pregnant women and newborns).
How long do families participate with FOS?
A woman may enroll in FOS at any time in their pregnancy; a parenting family may enroll anytime prior to their child’s third birthday. Services are provided in the home for up to a year, with weekly visits for the first month. After that time, the FOS Advocate will set up a regular meeting time based on the family’s needs and preferences.
What services are provided to families enrolled in FOS?
FOS provides home-based services to Medicaid eligible families in Ingham County. If not enrolled in medical coverage, the FOS Advocates assist families to enroll in Medicaid, Mi-Child, Healthy Kids, or the Ingham Health Plan. Additionally, we work with families to connect them to a medical home and ensure that medical information (immunizations and well child checks) are up to date. Finally, FOS provides education, support and connections to community resources that are relevant to the family’s situation.
Who does FOS serve?
Services are targeted to two groups: pregnant women and parenting families with infants/children through the child’s third birthday.
- Pregnant women will focus on prenatal education, including labor and delivery. Referrals will also be provided for other community-based supports to prepare women for the birth of their babies. These could include services from Community Mental Health, crib referrals, or referrals to meet other tangible needs.
- Parenting families will receive information on child growth and development, effective approaches to discipline, and the significance of staying up to date on a child’s well child checks and immunizations.