County and State Proclaim January as Positive Parenting Awareness Month
NAPA, CA – Cope Family Center, a member of the Napa County Triple P Collaborative (NCTPC), announced that the Napa County Board of Supervisors and the California Assembly have both recognized January as Positive Parenting Month, highlighting the importance for parents and caregivers to develop warm, nurturing relationships with their children and teens and become more confident as parents.
On January 9, the Napa County Board of Supervisors proclaimed January 2024 as the 6th Annual Positive Parenting Awareness Month in Napa County. Chair Joelle Gallagher presented the proclamation to the NCTPC members in attendance and expressed appreciation for the agencies’ work with Napa County families.
On January 22, the California Assembly passed ACR-120 proclaiming January as Positive Parenting Awareness Month for the fifth year in a row. The next day, members of the NCTPC along with 27 statewide Triple P-Positive Parenting Program providers and administrators journeyed to Sacramento for a collective day of advocacy. They met with their state representatives to encourage them to prioritize positive parenting in budget and policy decisions and designate funding for evidence-based programs like Triple P.
Triple P has been available to families throughout Napa County since 2016 and classes are offered at no charge. Classes teach positive parenting skills and strategies to build stronger relationships with their children and support them through challenging times. The positive outcomes for parents who participate are significant: parents report improvements in their children’s behaviors, their parenting styles, and their levels of stress.
“Parenting poses unique challenges. Creating awareness about the everyday stress of parenting and the tools and support available is vital for the wellbeing of children and families,” said Debra Wigington, Cope’s Parent Education Program Manager. “Stressful events in childhood can have lasting physical and emotional consequences, but positive parenting strategies have been shown to prevent or mitigate these effects. This initiative is important for destigmatizing the struggles of parenting so that parents and caregivers get the support and guidance they need to raise children who thrive.”
“We are grateful to the Napa County Board of Supervisors and the California Assembly for continuing to recognize the importance of positive parenting and the role that parents play in creating a better and brighter Napa Valley,” said Jessica Silverman, Executive Director of Cope. “Raising children is the most important job a parent can have, but it is also the most difficult. In addition to the everyday stressors of parenting, families are facing additional challenges like housing shortages, inflation, economic turmoil, climate disasters, and structural inequalities. This resolution recognizes the increased challenges facing California’s families and reiterates that positive parenting programs like Triple P can support families through these additional struggles of the modern world. Cope will continue to partner with other community agencies to provide support to Napa Valley families through positive parenting education and resources.”
NCTP Collaborative agencies include: Cope Family Center; Up Valley Family Centers; Child Start, Inc.; ParentsCAN; Napa County Public Health, Child Welfare Services, Self-Sufficiency, and Mental Health; Napa Valley Unified School District; Napa County Office of Education; NEWS; and Queen of the Valley Medical Center. Major funding for the program is provided by the Napa Valley Vintners and the Napa County Health and Human Services Agency Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement Grant. For information about class offerings, contact Cope at (707)255-1123.
ABOUT TRIPLE P
The Triple P - Positive Parenting Program is a world-renowned program available to families in Napa County who have children ages 2 to 17, including children with special needs. Backed by more than 35 years of international, scientific research, Triple P offers families proven strategies for strengthening relationships with their children and for preventing or managing a full range of parenting challenges. For more information, visit www.TriplePNapa.org.
ABOUT COPE FAMILY CENTER
Cope Family Center is a Family Resource Center in downtown Napa that empowers parents, nurtures children and strengthens communities. They provide parents with the education, resources and support they need to raise children who thrive. Programs include parent education and support services such as home visiting and parenting classes as well as drop-in services such as crisis support, emergency assistance and resource referrals. For more information, visit www.copefamilycenter.org.