National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center : Direct Service Programs : Directory : Best Beginnings

The Source - Spring 2008
This issue focuses on economic self-sufficiency for families affected by HIV and/or substance abuse. More...

Strengthening Connections Conference Archive
This conference highlighted the unique parenting challenges among families affected by substance abuse, HIV and/or incarceration, and the importance of the parent-child relationship in a child’s development. More...

2008 Teleconference Training Series
The Resource Center will host six trainings beginning in April 2008. The topics include the effects of methamphetamine, mental health services for women living with HIV and their children, and working with Latino families. More...

Assessing and Supporting Parenting in Families Affected by Substance Abuse or HIV (2007)
This guidebook provides practitioners and administrators with guidance in assessing, supporting, and strengthening parenting skills and parent-child relationships. [PDF]

National Abandoned Infants
Assistance Resource Center
University of California, Berkeley
1950 Addison Street, Suite 104 # 7402
Berkeley, CA 94720-7402
Phone: (510) 643-8390
Fax: (510) 643-7019
E-mail: aia@berkeley.edu

Best Beginnings
2410 Amsterdam Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10033
Phone: (212) 923-5440
Fax: (212) 923-5509
Email: bestbeginnings_hfa@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.alianzadom.org/

Project Director
Sobeira Guillen

Project Evaluator
Elizabeth Anisfeld

Sponsoring Organization
Alianza Dominicana, Inc.

Best Beginnings is a Healthy Families America (HFA) home visiting program offering information and support to families at risk of child abuse and neglect. Families are identified during pregnancy and are offered the voluntary service until the child reaches school age. The home visiting is carried out by paraprofessionals from the community who receive extensive training and close supervision.

In order to work with substance abusing families and families with HIV, the Best Beginnings Plus component was added. Through this component, we are developing strategies to identify pregnant substance abusing women in our catchment area and engage them in service. We have adapted the harm reduction model for use with our families. The staff hired for this added component has previous experience working with substance using women and women with HIV. In addition, they have smaller caseloads in order to work more intensively with and deliver more services to these families. Best Beginnings currently serves over 200 families. In addition, Best Beginnings Plus serves 55 families affected by HIV and/or substance use.