We know your role is critical in your child’s overall development.

Our goal is to connect parents of babies and young children to local resources and information to help provide you with the support and care your family needs.

Services & Resources

Please click any of the links below for more information, services and assistance.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Livingston County Hunger Council

Gleaners Food Bank, Howell  

Bountiful Harvest Inc. Food Pantry

Fishes & Loaves – Free Community Dinner Every Sunday

WIC (Women, Infant, Children ) Nutrition Program 

Summer Lunch Bunch (Salvation Army)

  • Community meals program that meets during summer break.  Free food, family fun, games, sports & activities.

Early On

  • Support for infants & toddlers (ages birth – 3) who have developmental delays or are at risk for delays due to certain health conditions, including premature birth.  Contact Early On at 1-800-EARLY-ON (1-800-327-5966) to schedule a free evaluation for your child.  Or complete an online referral here: 1800EarlyOn.org
  • Connect on Facebook
  • Download: Early On Family Guide Book

Health Insurance for Your Child

Dental Insurance

Help if Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying

Help with Diapers & Clothes

Help with Post Partum Depression

Department of Health and Human Services 

Arc Livingston

  • Advocacy/assistance for families and individuals with developmental disabilities.
  • Connect on Facebook

OLHSA (Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency)

Love INC 

Salvation Army 

Libraries

BREASTFEEDING RESOURCES

Livingston County Health Department

  • Breastfeeding Class – Currently In-Person and via Zoom; Call 517- 546- 5459 to set up an appointment.
    • For all breastfeeding moms, you do not have to be a WIC client.
    • Second Wednesday of each month, 4:30-5:30 pm (in-person) at Livingston County Department of Public Health.
    • Fourth Wednesday of each month, 10:30-11:30 am (virtual) via ZOOM.
    • Call 517-546-5459 to register
    • For expectant moms & support person.
    • Breastfeeding Rights Wallet Card
    • Connect on Facebook

La Leche League Brighton

  • Third Wednesday every month – 10:15-11:30am (currently via Zoom)
  • For help or questions, contact Leaders:  Clara Coppola 248-660-5334

National Breastfeeding Hotline

1-800-994-9662

Breastfeeding Video

Michigan Breastfeeding Network

Michigan Breastfeeding Network has FREE Great Lakes Breastfeeding Webinars that launch on the third Tuesday of the month at 8 a.m. EST. Webinars are available to watch whenever and wherever for up to 1 year after the initial air date.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Resources and support to nurture your child’s early development.

Early On

  • Support for infants & toddlers (ages birth – 3) who have developmental delays or are at risk for delays due to certain health conditions, including premature birth.  Call Early On at 1-800-EARLY-ON (1-800-327-5966) to schedule a free evaluation for your child. Or you can complete an online referral here:  1800EarlyOn.org    Connect on Facebook

Developmental Milestones (2 months through 5 years)

CDC’s Milestone Tracker App

MSU Extension Livingston County – Early Childhood Development 

CHILD SAFETY

Poison Control

  • 1-800-222-1222

Car Seat Safety Checks

List of local car seat technicians

General Car Seat Safety

CPR/First Aid Training

Period of PURPLE Crying

Safe Sleep for Infants

  • This video contains discussions with parents who lost their infant to unsafe sleep situations and may be upsetting for some viewers. If you would like information about safe sleep without watching this video please contact LACASA’s CAP Council at capcouncil@lacasacenter.org or call 517-548-1350.

Safe Kids Huron Valley 

Safe Kids Worldwide 

Child Proofing Your Home

PARENT EDUCATION

Learn to be your child’s expert.

Classes offered through LACASA:

Nurturing Parenting Class

For parents of newborns – 11 years

Infant Safety Class

FREE online 3-part series on infant safe sleep, how to handle extended infant crying and guidelines for transporting your baby safely.

Fathers Only Parenting Program 

For fathers, step-fathers and other male role models or other male caregivers.

Parenting 2.0 – Surviving the Teen Years

For parents of children ages 11-17

Parenting Education – MSU Extension Livingston County 

Pregnancy Help Clinic

PRENATAL & POSTNATAL CARE

Women Infant Children (WIC)

  • Federal health and nutrition program for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children ages birth up to age five. WIC also provides nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support and help accessing health care and other resources. WIC enrollment is based upon income and nutritional needs. Flyer 

Healthy Families Livingston

  • A home visiting program that provides support and helps ease the stress of new parenthood. Program participants receive weekly visits with a friendly and caring person who listens and answers questions, information on caring for your baby and developmental milestones, fun activities for you and your baby, and more. Flyer 

Pregnancy Help Clinic

    Support services, mentoring, earn baby supplies and more. All are eligible.

Infant Safety Class – ‘Sleeping, Driving, Crying’

Help if Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying

Postpartum Support International 

  • Provides direct peer support to families, train professionals and provide a bridge to connect families & professionals.
  • Hotline:  1-800-944-4773
  • Text “Help” to 800-944-4773
  • Find local support

Counseling for Postpartum Depression – Livingston County Catholic Charities

Creating a Birth Plan

  • A birth plan is a simple, clear, one-page statement of your preferences for the birth of your baby. Because there are so many aspects of birth to consider, it is best not to wait until the last minute to create your plan. You will want to discuss it with those who will support and care for you. The American Pregnancy Association has a great list of questions to consider. The Academy of Perinatal Harm Reduction has a worksheet for creating a birth plan based on a mother’s own unique needs.

Text 4 Baby 

  • Free mobile app/information service designed to promote maternal and child health by providing pregnant women and new moms with information they need to take care of their health and give their babies the best possible start in life.
  • Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411 will receive free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth.

Sign up here or text the number above.

SOCIAL GROUPS

Great Start Livingston Family Coalition

  • Family Coalition is open to all caregivers in Livingston County raising young children. We are a welcoming and supportive group of parents learning alongside one another to strengthen our community and individual parenting journey. 
  • Connect on Facebook
  • Meeting information
  • How to get involved

MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers)

Livingston Area Parent of Multiples 

  • Offering friendship and support for parents, guardians and primary caregivers of multiple birth children.
  • Connect on Facebook

 

SUPPORT GROUPS

Connect, encourage and support others who share common experiences or concerns.

LACASA 

Call 866-522-2725 for the following support groups:

  • Domestic Violence for Women
  • Domestic Violence for Children
  • Sexual Assault
  • ‘Circle of Parents’ (for fathers and male caregivers)
  • FASD Living (For caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders)
  • Assailant/Batterers Intervention Group
  • Connect on Facebook

Adoption & Foster Care

 

Home Visiting Services

If you’re a mom-to-be or a new parent, contact us to learn more.

Home visiting programs help families just like yours! Are you pregnant? Do you have young children? It is nice to have support from someone who knows what you are going through. Home Visiting can help to support you.

Read below to learn about home visiting programs in Livingston County.

Healthy Families Livingston

517-548-1350 | healthyfamilies@lacasacenter.org

Visit Website

LACASA Center, provides a Healthy Families program for new parents in Livingston County. Healthy Families offers new parents of infants a long-term resource person who they can count on for help raising a healthy family. Home visits are provided by family-support workers and parents attend ongoing workshops and support groups.  New parents learn information and skills about infant and child development, parent and infant interaction, parenting coping techniques, and how to attain personal parenting goals.

Michigan Medicine Maternal Infant Health Program

(MIHP), 734-477-7238 | HCS-MVN-MIHP@med.umich.edu

Visit Website  |  Request an Appointment 

The Maternal Infant Health Program, or “MIHP” is a free home visiting program provided to pregnant Medicaid recipients and their babies. This home visiting program provides additional resources, education and support throughout your pregnancy and baby’s first year of life. Participants gain access to a dedicated team of healthcare providers that value your health and success in parenting. We hope you will take advantage of this great benefit for both you and your baby!

ASQ Livingston

Screening young children is a great way to catch any concerns and connect with resources when it can do the most good.

Evidence shows that the earlier development is assessed—the greater the chance a child has to reach his or her potential. Screening young children is a great way to catch any concerns and connect with resources when it can do the most good –  during the child’s EARLY YEARS when their brain and body are quickly developing. Click on the link below to complete a FREE developmental screening for your child.

Click here to begin your screening!

Once you complete your screening our Great Start Livingston Support Specialist, Breanne Green,  will contact you with your child’s results within 2 weeks. If you have any questions please contact her at 517.234.6663.

Click HERE for more information on why screening is important and how it works.

Why should I screen my child?

Screening young children is a great way to catch any concerns and connect with resources when it can do the most good – during the child’s early years when his/her brain and body are quickly developing.

Will this cost me any money?

No! Screenings completed through Great Start Livingston do not cost any money to families.

How long will it take me?

Each screening only takes about 10 to 15 minutes for parents to complete.

Should I screen my child if I think he/she is “on-track”?

Yes!  Developmental and social/emotional delays can be subtle and can occur in children who appear to be developing on time.  You will also receive easy to do home activities to support your child’s continued growth.

Learning Activities

Try these fun and easy activities with your child—a great way to have fun together and encourage your child’s healthy development.

Livingston County Baby Fair

Livingston County Community Resources for Pregnant People and Young Families

Livingston County Community Resources for Pregnant People and Young Families – Download your FREE guide here

Download your FREE Birth Story Journal with prompts here

CLICK HERE to Watch the 2020 Baby Fair event: Courageous Parenting in Times of Change.

Special Presentations:

From Birth Plan to Birth Story with Monica Laming, LMSW, MPH, Infant Mental Health Specialist and Director of Early Connections Institute in Brighton

Safety in the Time of COVID- Information on Pregnancy and Infant Health During the Pandemic with Julie Young, BSN RN, Public Health Nurse, Livingston County Health Department

Free Resources

Baby's Busy Day
CDCs Milestone tracker app
Milestone in Action