Promoting Infant Mental Health in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
“The environment and caregiving relationships in the early postnatal period are critical to an infant’s development, with implications for physical, social-emotional, and neurocognitive development. Premature and medically vulnerable infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are biologically and neurologically more vulnerable and go through many stressors including some degree of separation from their parents, an intrusive and unnatural environment, and painful and distressing procedures. their parents, in turn, experience higher rates of psychological distress and can face challenges in establishing an optimal relationship with their babies in this setting. In this talk, Dr. Givrad will point out some of the ways we can think about promoting premature and medically vulnerable infants’ wellbeing.”
“Every spring parents and families begin researching and planning what their children will do during the Summer months. Everything from summer camps to fun events and activities. This is a 1-day event that brings all of these options under one roof. Families will attend, learn about their options, register, have fun, and more.
The entire day is free! Each vendor offers a free activity, there will be free programming throughout the day, explore everything the Valley Community Center has to offer, and have some fun taking pictures with our fun backdrop, the first 100 families (ONE per family) will receive a FREE swag bag.” They will also be offering a sensory friendly hour at the beginning of the day!
For the schedule and more information: https://desmoinesparent.com/des-moines-parent-summer-camp-fair/
“Participants will learn strategies to center parent and family voices in health equity efforts, better understand how to integrate and sustain parent and family leadership and hear from parent leaders who are helping to change systems. Participants will also identify strategies they could employ to increase parent and family participation in their work.”
Registration: https://zerotothree.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_djOebKiBQTCicIFuW1UhYg?utm_medium=email&utm_source=pardot&utm_campaign=01172024_SafeBabies#/registration
“Join Safe Babies as we discuss how early relationships set the tone for a child’s development. We will discuss best practices to promote responsive and nurturing early relationships and protective factors that can promote resiliency in the context of Safe Babies on the system and family levels. Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will gain insight into how all development occurs in a relational context. 2. Participants will gain knowledge regarding needs-based, trauma-responsive, and developmentally-informed practices.”
Registration: https://zerotothree.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SELEfx79RlO3D-n_rYdu3Q?utm_medium=email&utm_source=pardot&utm_campaign=01172024_SafeBabies#/registration
Walk the Include Resource Fair
Join the 4th Annual Awareness Walk and Resource Fair in Carlisle on April 20th! For more information, click here.
Uniting Resources Conference
Wednesday, February 7 | 8 AM – 4 PM
Registration Required
FFA Enrichment Center
1055 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023
Creating a collaborative path to children’s mental health.
Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MJMP8B2
Check out the Community Resource Fair on January 24th, 2024 at 10am-1pm at Full Recovery Community Center (1750 48th Street, Ste 101A in Des Moines, 50310). Services will include Iowa ID (first come first serve), assistance applying for WIC and SNAP, Housing Assistance, Assistance signing up for Medicaid, Bank account sign-up, Email set-up and tech help, recovery coaching, information on social security and more. Please bring some sort of photo ID, a piece of mail with current address. 
Grand (Parent) Connection For Active Grandparents
Hiawatha Public Library (150 W Willman Street, Hiawatha IA 52233)
Mondays, 11:30am-1:30pm from 1/29-4/1 (excluding 2/19 and 3/11)
This family group is for grandparents who are very active in their grandchild’s lives and will help grandparents understand and respond to the developmental needs of young children.
Grand(parent) Connection for Active Grandparents
Date/Time: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Mondays 1/29 – 4/1 (group will NOT meet 2/19 and 3/11)
Location: Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W Willman St, Hiawatha
Grand (Parent) Connection For Active Grandparents
Hiawatha Public Library (150 W Willman Street, Hiawatha IA 52233)
Mondays, 11:30am-1:30pm from 1/29-4/1 (excluding 2/19 and 3/11)
This family group is for grandparents who are very active in their grandchild’s lives and will help grandparents understand and respond to the developmental needs of young children.
Grand(parent) Connection for Active Grandparents
Date/Time: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Mondays 1/29 – 4/1 (group will NOT meet 2/19 and 3/11)
Location: Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W Willman St, Hiawatha
