The Lake Cumberland District Health Department is helping new and expectant parents navigate the challenges of raising a child through its HANDS program.
HANDS—which stands for Health Access Nurturing Development Services—is a free, voluntary home-visiting and educational program serving families across all ten counties in the Lake Cumberland district.
Whitney Jones, the district’s HANDS supervisor, explains how the program works.
Any new or expectant parent can enroll, free of charge. Expectant mothers may join during pregnancy or until their baby is 90 days old.
The program offers guidance on pregnancy, child development, parenting skills, home safety and community resources.
Jones says families bring a wide range of questions to their home visitors—from sleep and feeding concerns to transportation and other basic needs.
Home visitors do not enter a home assuming they already know what the family needs. Instead, they listen, help parents identify their priorities and connect them with useful information and resources.
Sometimes parents have a developmental question. Other times, they simply need someone to listen and reassure them that they are doing a good job.
HANDS currently serves approximately 580 families throughout the ten-county Lake Cumberland region.
We asked Jones what measurable differences the program makes for participating parents and children.
Kentucky research has found that HANDS participation is associated with lower risks of premature birth and low birth weight. Participating families are also significantly less likely to have substantiated reports of child maltreatment than similar families that did not participate.
Jones acknowledges that inviting someone into the home can initially feel uncomfortable. She says families are reminded from the beginning that HANDS is voluntary and is designed to offer support—not judgment.
Parents remain the primary decision-makers. Home visitors work to build on each family’s strengths while providing assistance where it is needed.
Jones says trust develops over time. The visits are not home inspections; they are intended to create a comfortable setting where parents can ask questions and receive support.
We also asked Jones about the specialized training HANDS home visitors receive.
Jones says HANDS is not a one-size-fits-all program. The family and HANDS specialist jointly determine how frequently visits take place based on the family’s individual needs.
Anyone who would like to learn more—or enroll in HANDS—can call their local health department and ask to speak with a HANDS professional. A staff member will schedule an initial visit and help the family get started. 