Although she was thrilled to welcome a healthy baby boy, Carter, the anxiety continued. Becoming
a new parent is difficult, regardless of socioeconomic circumstances. Research shows that perinatal
mental health can affect the well-being of the entire family. First Connections, a short-term home
visiting program offered by Children’s Friend, helped ease the transition and anxiety for Amanda and her family.

“It was so helpful to have access to a medical professional during that time. From reassurance that we
were doing the right things for Carter to connecting me with resources to make sure that my mental and physical health were taken care of, the support was incredible,” said Amanda. “We have a robust support system, but First Connections gave us the strong start that all families deserve.”

This program is focused on the health of the baby and mother, ensuring both are supported and receive the care they need in those precious early days.

Home visiting programs offer parents and children support in their own environment. This reduces the burden on families with little ones and allows them to be comfortable in their own space for education on breastfeeding and infant care. In addition, they are receiving support based on the tools and resources they have in their home.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy and confidentiality.

The post The Strong Start appeared first on Children's Friend.

Every family enrolled in our Early Head Start and Head Start programs is paired with a Family Advocate, whose focus is on improving family well-being and child outcomes. The family advocate works in partnership with the parents or guardians to establish goals, provide support, and assist with community referrals.

When Melissa reflects on her caseload, she says it can be overwhelming at times. It’s hard to believe the occurrence and intensity of poverty and violence that is reality for too many families in our community. She navigates this by focusing on the individual family and the actions they can take to improve their lives for the benefit of their children.

“Families need different things from us. They are all at different stages when they come through our doors,” said Melissa. “Our job is to meet them where they are and empower them to make the changes they are capable of making to support their child.”

The work she does is life-changing.

Melissa sees clients who go back to school when their child comes to Children’s Friend, and by the
time the child heads to kindergarten, the parent is graduating with their master’s degree. She’s helped
parents navigate custody battles, domestic violence, housing insecurity, health challenges, and major life circumstances, all while keeping their child safe and connected to stability through their Head Start community.

“What sets Children’s Friend apart is our ability to walk with families. They trust us, and in turn, they are supported and can make incremental changes to better their lives,” said Melissa. “There is a reason we’ve existed for over 190 years. There are a lot of nonprofits, but none like this, none with the level of experience, community connections, and commitment.”

Melissa says parents often express disbelief at the amount of support Children’s Friend can offer, stating, “I have gone to so many organizations, and nobody has actually helped me, but you did.”
Family advocates, like Melissa, work behind the scenes to ensure that children and families in Early Head Start and Head Start can have better opportunities and outcomes that last for generations.

The post The Role of a Family Advocate appeared first on Children's Friend.

By the time Kathleen gave birth to her son in 2007, she had grown curious. She couldn’t answer medical history questions with any certainty, and she wanted to know more. Legislation was passed in 2011 allowing adult adoptees from Rhode Island to request a copy of their original birth certificate. Kathleen decided to submit her request.

As she opened the envelope, she was most surprised to learn that she had a different name at birth. It didn’t fit the image of the woman she had become. Then the details of her entrance into this world started to come into focus.

She learned she was adopted through an agency called Children’s Friend. She learned about her biological parents. She learned she had a full biological brother. She also learned that four of the neighborhood kids she’d grown up with were actually relatives. These connections brought a new and deeper meaning to fond childhood memories.

One day she mustered the courage to call the work phone of her biological mother. She had decided to leave a message there so that she wasn’t disrupting anyone’s life, should her mother have family members who didn’t know this detail about her past.

Kathleen kept her expectations in check. She was pleasantly surprised to receive a call back. As she learned more about her biological family, and met a new cast of relatives, thanks to the ubiquity of social media and the internet, her appreciation for her adoptive parents and their love grew, too.

She gained a new perspective on the opportunities her parents – both biological and adoptive – had given her.

Children’s Friend is a small but essential part of Kathleen’s story. It brought her to her parents, who raised her with the opportunities every child deserves, and her life as she knows it.

The post Being Kathleen appeared first on Children's Friend.

Five months passed without another call, but Elaine didn’t forget.

Lisa was caught in the grip of substance use disorder; she was surviving on the margins and was often homeless. There had already been a tragic stillbirth in her past. Elaine expected this pregnancy to end in much the same way. Again, Lisa sought no prenatal care, and she had no plan.

But still, something in Elaine’s mind lingered.

Months later another call came. An abscess had landed Lisa in the emergency room, where she learned that she was due in August. Elaine’s heart lurched. There was hope this child might survive. Elaine contacted the Department of Children, Youth, and Families and asked them to put Lisa on a watch list. She had decided she would do what she could to give this child the shot at life every child deserves.

August came, and Elaine was somewhat surprised when Lisa called again. This time she was desperate: “I gave birth. Are you coming? I’m calling and calling, and no one’s coming,” said Lisa on the other end.

Elaine dropped everything. When she arrived at the hospital and found Lisa’s room, there was someone monitoring her. Elaine asked Lisa where the baby was, and Lisa told her she’d had a cesarian section and she wanted out of the hospital. The baby was in the NICU, and Lisa hadn’t seen him.

“I know my rights,” Lisa said to Elaine. “I’ll sign myself out. I can leave and come back.”

Elaine was reeling as she left Lisa’s room. She nearly bumped into the charge nurse as she left. The nurse told her that there were five different substances in Lisa’s system. They were monitoring the baby, but he was stable and healthy despite all odds. She asked Elaine if she wanted to see him, and Elaine was the first person (other than medical staff) to hold baby Julius.

He was tiny and so fragile, but he was alive. And he had Elaine.

DCYF had granted Elaine full access to the hospital. She visited every day after work. And after only five days in the NICU, Julius was discharged to Elaine. Lisa never came back.

Elaine has five older children. It had been years since she had a baby, and she had none of the items she needed to care for him. Her friends rallied around her, bringing diapers, clothes, a crib – everything he needed. Just like that, Julius was home. Elaine didn’t miss a single day of work during this time. It was stressful, and she can’t quite remember how she made it through.

When Julius was 11 weeks old, he started Early Head Start at Children’s Friend.

“Children’s Friend wasn’t just a daycare—it was a second home. The teachers saw Julius for how wonderful he was. They really saw him. They noticed his bright eyes, and his endless cuddles.”

He was surrounded by the nurturing, care, and love he needed. And he and Elaine had a family advocate, Melissa Sanchez, on their team now.

Elaine took Julius to Disney when he was just 6 months old, his tiny hand reaching out to touch the Tree of Life. “It was more than a vacation,” she said. “It was a declaration. He is loved. He matters.”

But the battle for Julius’ fate was far from over.

His birth parents were in and out of jail. Elaine had to allow DCYF to take him to visitations. She was so afraid the system would see her as someone trying to hide him away.

Although Elaine had gone to the hospital to see Lisa, no one in her family knew that she was the one who took Julius home. They never asked. She kept Julius a secret from much of her own family, trying to protect him, not knowing how it would all end.

Then came the court hearings. Elaine’s half-brother called and told her that Lisa had said she planned to sign over her rights to her own mother. But according to Elaine, Lisa’s mother also has substance use issues. Suddenly, everyone had opinions about what was best for Julius even though they had no idea where he was. Throughout the saga, Julius had one constant: Elaine.

The path to adoption wasn’t easy. Working with DCYF and the family courts was challenging and emotional for Elaine. During this process, Children’s Friend was able to step in and advocate for Julius, knowing the level of concern, care, and commitment Elaine had shown. As a direct result of advocacy by Children’s Friend, Julius’ case was reassigned to a caseworker who made the path to adoption possible for Elaine and Julius.

It was Children’s Friend that connected Elaine to a CASA worker. Children’s Friend also helped identify signs of a gross motor delay and ensured that Julius would receive Early Intervention services from another agency. There were so many barriers and obstacles for Elaine and Julius, but together, with the support of Children’s Friend, they overcame them.

Elaine credits her family advocate, Melissa: “If she wasn’t there,” Elaine said, “I don’t know what I would’ve done.”

Julius’ adoption became official in April 2025, Elaine became his mom.

Julius is 19 months old now. He has five sisters and three step brothers. His world is full of people who show up, who love him, who fight for him.

“He’s right where he should be,” said Melissa.

*Name changed to protect identity.

The post Right Where He Should Be appeared first on Children's Friend.

“This is an incredible opportunity to step up and help children experience joy and have the clothing and essentials they need to make it through the winter months,” said David Caprio, President and CEO of Children’s Friend. “The Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive alleviates economic strain for families and allows children to feel the warmth of the holiday season.”

For over 30 years, Children’s Friend has operated the Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive to bring hope and joy to children in need through the holidays. The drive is a community effort that requires significant volunteer power, sponsors, and monetary donations to make the magic happen. Anyone or any organization or group can sponsor a family. Children’s Friend then matches sponsors with families and sends the sponsor a wish list specific to that family’s needs and wants for the holidays. The sponsor then shops for the items on the list, and Children’s Friend hand-delivers the gifts to families before December 24.

Those without the time or ability to shop can make a donation at ChildrensFriendRI.org and volunteers will shop for you.

“We need our community more than ever this year to help every child experience the holiday joy they deserve,” added Caprio.

The Children’s Friend Holiday Drive stands out from others in the area because families and children who benefit from the effort are enrolled in services through the agency. This means they continue to receive wraparound support even after the season has passed.

Visit SpiritofGivingDrive.org to sponsor a family, make a donation, or get involved.

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The post Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive to serve over 900 Rhode Island families appeared first on Children's Friend.

Project Connect keeps children safe and families together. The program serves families statewide who are identified by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). It is designed to support children ages 0-17, their families, and pregnant and parenting youth. We recently sat down with Geneva Washington, Project Connect Home Visitor, and asked about this special program. This October marks nine years since Geneva joined the Project Connect team at Children’s Friend.

Q: What are the program goals?
Geneva: The children are our focus. Ultimately, we are working to find the most appropriate living situation for the children.

Q: How do you set the individual goals for the people you’re working with?
Geneva: A lot of it depends on why they were referred. If the goal for that parent is reunification, we are trying to get their mental health stabilized, we are trying to get them to achieve sobriety.

Q: What are some of the supports and services Project Connect offers?
Geneva: We have a parent educator that we assign to the case to help clients. The parent educator supports visitations with parents and children. Some of the visitations are supervised, which means someone must constantly be in the room. Others are lightly supervised, which means someone must be close during the visit. The visitation program provides an independent eye to see what’s going on and how the parent interacts with their children.

Q: How do you monitor progress during treatment?
Geneva: Every client has a case plan with the department (DCYF). We help them to achieve each of the goals outlined in the plan. Each goal achieved marks their progression towards reunification.

Q: How often do you meet with clients?
Geneva: Twice a week. 

Q: How do you deal with a crisis or emergency?
Geneva: It depends on how and when that crisis happens. Depending on the nature of the crisis, I help the client work through it and make the appropriate decisions. If it’s calling the police, contacting the landlord, or contacting DCYF. If it’s something beyond that, I work with my supervisor to decide the next steps. In an elevated crisis, this might include getting the family out of the home to someplace safer. We also have an on-call staff person here at Children’s Friend. All our clients have that emergency number, so they have someone to call after hours.  

Q: Are you able to treat clients with dual diagnoses?
Geneva: Many of our clients have mental health issues along with substance abuse issues. So, we help them find mental health support. If it’s mental health support with medication, we monitor their medications and make sure they’re taking them appropriately and as prescribed. We’re in contact with their mental health provider to give updates on what we see in the home and how the clients are presenting. Often, clients end up in substance abuse situations because they are attempting to self-medicate mental health issues, rather than get involved with psychiatric services, so treating the root cause of substance use disorder is important.

Q: What milestones does a client need to achieve to graduate from the program?
Geneva: They need to accomplish their case plan goals laid out by DCYF. We attend court with clients as part of Project Connect. It could be family court, child protection court, or drug court. The requirements for completion for each of them are different. Getting to that point is inspirational, but the closure looks different depending on which court the client is in. 

Q: What continuing care resources are available after a client closes?
Geneva: They can always contact us if they need support. We’re always here for them. If they’ve done Project Connect, we try to get them to get an understanding of the nature of their illness and to stay connected to recovery support, whether that’s getting a recovery coach or a sponsor, or going to meetings. We keep them focused on avoiding anything that would result in a relapse.

I had a client once relapse because she went to a bar. She had been clean and sober for over a year and said that she thought that she was cured. She actually said, “I thought I was cured.” The clients who relapse are usually clients who did everything they needed to do to get their children back, to get clean and sober, but they didn’t do something like get a sponsor or get a recovery coach or go to NA or AA. And obviously, some make choices to get back into bad relationships with people who are substance abusers. Unfortunately, Rhode Island is so small, and we have a big drug problem. With a lot of our clients, especially the low-income clients, what corner can they turn down and not run into a trigger? Where can they stand and wait for a bus and not see a liquor store across the street?

It’s an uphill battle, and there are only so many places they can go to avoid people and places that are triggering.

Q: Is there a time limit for services?
Geneva: We try to say no, and I’ve had some clients for a long time. They’ve opened, they’ve closed, they’ve reopened, but we usually say 18 months. Anyone serious about reunification or recovery can get on the right track. If they accept the support and do the things they need, from start to finish, they can be done within 18 months.

Q: What do you do in cases where a client experiences relapse?
Geneva: Start all over again. If they were not connected with a substance abuse therapy program, we help them to get enrolled in one. We help to try to determine what’s the best program for them. If outpatient is the best for them, then we will make a referral to things like Women’s Day, Project Link, or the Providence Center – whatever is available in the area. If more support is needed, we help get them into an in-house residential program.

Q: What keeps you in this position and coming back to these families?
Geneva: It’s a population that I’ve come to embrace because I understand them, I understand them because of the work I do. I understand them because it’s the family that I come from. I enjoy seeing them accomplish anything, any little accomplishment. If it’s something they’ve never accomplished before it IS an accomplishment. Getting your kids to every medical appointment when they’ve been behind for years is an accomplishment. Getting up and getting your kids to school on time is an accomplishment.

A lot of our clients relapsed during Covid. That was the worst thing that could have happened to people who were struggling to maintain a hold on anything. Their mental health issues, especially depression, were at an all-time high. During that time, even if it was for no other reason than to let them know they’re not alone, I would try to see them in person. I’ve stood out in the rain with an umbrella. I’ve stood out, burning up or sweating on a sunny day. I’ve stood there on a cold day when I couldn’t feel my toes, even though I was only out there for 15 minutes. I prefer that contact because clients understand and appreciate the fact that someone went out of their way to come check on them, to make sure they were okay. They couldn’t even have visits with their children during that shut-in period. Some parents went months without visits. It was tough. It was very difficult, and it was lonely.

I do it because I honestly believe that I have something to offer that population, and I do it because it’s a good job. It’s rewarding.

Donate Today

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Meet Carina

Carina is a Head Start student currently enrolled in our Summer Learning & Enrichment program. At three-and-a-half years old, Carina is small for her age. She has more difficulty with speech than many of her peers. She’s often mistaken for a much younger child.

The Summer Learning & Enrichment program is especially helpful for kids like Carina. Instead of being set back, Carina is spending her summer in a high-quality early education environment where she can continue building on what she learned in the previous school year.

She’s retaining hard-won skills, and her teachers can continue supporting her development and reinforcing the important progress she has made as a student at Children’s Friend.

Your support make summer learning and new experiences possible for vulnerable children!

Donate Today!



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Tracy laughs these days when she recalls her very first placement as a Children’s Friend foster parent.

“They called me at work and asked if I could take a newborn. All I heard was that a baby needed a home,” Tracy recalls.

She agreed to the placement immediately, then panic ensued. It was 2 p.m. She was at work, and her home was not baby-ready. She left the office early and got the place ready before Baby Benjamin arrived.

Like many new parents, Tracy marveled as she watched him sleep. She took countless pictures of his little expressions. “He was just so adorable,” she recalls. “On the first day, he grabbed a handful of my hair and looked right at me.” It was the beginning of a very special bond. 

Benji went everywhere with her in those early days, and their bond grew stronger. But little did they know, another special bond would soon develop.

The first time Tracy met Benji’s birth mom, she said: “Your baby is loved, and he is well cared for. Go do whatever you need to do.” 

Clara, the baby’s mom, remembers that day, too.

“I wasn’t thinking, I was just in ‘go mode.’ All I could think was ‘Oh my God, I just want my son back.’  You hear all these scary things about foster care, but Tracy just had my best interest at heart.” Tracy treated her respectfully, Clara said. “She didn’t have to ask my permission for things, but she always did.” 

As they got to know each other better, Tracy saw that Clara had nobody to lean on, so Tracy became her support system.

Three months later, a judge ordered reunification. Clara had not had any unsupervised visits at that point. One was arranged, and it went well. Another was planned, and the judge said that Benji was to remain home at that time and not be returned to Tracy’s care. 

Clara quickly became overwhelmed caring for her baby. “I wanted him back,” Clara said. “But he hadn’t been with me for three months.” 

Tracy reassured her, “We’ll work this out.” She began taking Benji for a day or overnight, allowing Clara to go to her own appointments. Tracy would sometimes pick him up from daycare since Clara had no transportation. Their bond grew stronger.

Together, they navigated the pandemic, working through their fears for Benji’s safety. The two women did errands together, including pediatrician appointments and grocery shopping. At first, Tracy would show Clara what to do. Then she backed off and watched Clara manage it herself, once her confidence grew. Within two months, Benji was at home full-time, and Clara felt she had the tools to be a successful parent.

The post Foster Care, Foster Love appeared first on Children's Friend.

These programs are funded through reimbursement rates set by the state. Reimbursement rates have not been increased in 20 years and have been reduced once. But now – amidst the pandemic, where we have been reminded how important all aspects of health, development, and wellbeing are – our provider system is on the verge of collapse.

In the last few years, staff turnover has been high, several providers have closed and ended services, and hundreds of young children sit on a state waitlist for services – sometimes for months – before receiving critical care.

Research tells us that intervening early in life, while the brain is first developing, is the best way to make a lasting positive impact on a child. Research also tells us that children who develop steady relationships with trusted adults have better outcomes than those that do not. We cannot allow the state to ignore what science has proven – a delay in accessing needed services, even for just a few months, has a lifetime of negative impacts on a young child.

Early Interventions and First Connections need help – your help. You are our best chance at creating positive returns for our state’s children.

House Bill 7628 – An act relating to health and safety – maternal and child health services for children with special health care needs has been drafted and introduced to Rhode Island’s House of Representatives. This bill would allow reimbursement rates to be raised by $4.5 million dollars. This investment is extremely small relative to the state’s budget, which will be finalized in the next month. This investment is worth it for the future of our state.

This bill may not pass if it does not have enough Representative support. We urge you to reach out to your Representative in the House and encourage them to support this crucial bill. Our babies, children, and families deserve to receive needed services and support without delay and with qualified and committed staff to provide these critical services.

How to Reach Out to Your Representative:

1. Visit sos.ri.gov
2. Click “Elections and Voting”
3. Click “Find your Elected Officials”
4. Enter your home address
5. Scroll to “Your Elected Officials” and click on “Representative District __” to show their phone number and email address.
6. Call them or email them using our fillable template (linked here) in support of H-7628!

Gabriella Florio Special Projects Coordinator

The post TAKE ACTION TODAY! appeared first on Children's Friend.

In 2020, right as COVID-19 began to change the landscape of our daily lives, Mia found out she was expecting her fifth child. In the late part of the year, she delivered a baby who needed surgery soon after birth. Her baby also was identified as having Down Syndrome. This was Mia’s first time having a child with a disability and she was extremely concerned about the health of her baby. Her baby needed more care and attention than doctors were able to provide in Rhode Island, and would soon be transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital. This, and the day-to-day stressors of the pandemic, were making for an extremely turbulent and confusing time for Mia and her family.

Anna was assigned to Mia’s case through our First Connections program. At first, Mia had hesitations about being involved. What could Anna, an assigned worker, even offer to her and her sick baby? Why would she go through with this at all if she wasn’t sure her baby would make it through surgery?

Anna shared with Mia that she had been in the same shoes 14 years prior when her baby was born with Down Syndrome and needed surgery soon after birth. Anna shared her fears for her child, her child’s health, and her own mental health. Anna showed photos of her own child, who was now a healthy and happy teenager. Her vulnerability eased Mia’s mind, and Mia was able to trust in the system that her baby would be okay.

As Mia’s baby was transferred to Boston Children’s, Anna reached out to her personal connections in the hospital to ensure that Mia and her baby had everything they needed before, during, and after surgery. The baby’s surgery was a success! As Mia brought her child back to Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Boston Children’s sent home Christmas gifts for all of Mia’s children. And Anna was there through it all.

Anna continued to work with Mia and her family to ensure that her fifth child hit developmental milestones. Anna helped transfer Mia’s nursing credentials from Haiti to Rhode Island. Anna helped Mia and her husband apply for first-time homebuyer programs. More than anything, Anna became a shoulder to lean on, a friend, and a valuable resource to Mia and her family.

Anna, and the many other First Connections staff at Children’s Friend and beyond, serve as critical links for moms and their families across Rhode Island. They provide holistic support so that families are on track to success.

First Connections also has an extreme amount of need as a program. Contracted through the Department of Health, 5 agencies in Rhode Island provide this service. Providers are paid through reimbursement rates. Reimbursement rates have not been increased in 20 years. Decades of disinvestment make it near impossible for providers to recruit and retain social workers and nurses like Anna and her team. Contact your legislator today to let them know First Connections matters, and is in need of support in the State of Rhode Island’s budget. Use #RIKidsCantWait to share your perspective on social media. Regular rate review is not enough. We need higher rates now. Children and families need these services. They deserve them.

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