Editor’s Note: The names in this article have been changed to protect the identity of the family and children involved.
What should have been the joyous culmination of a 10-year journey quickly became a nightmare for Jason and Angie. Angie struggled to get pregnant for 10 years before Isaac was born 9 months ago. “He was my little miracle baby,” said Angie. But soon after the couple welcomed Isaac, things turned for the worse. Jason’s two children, ages 6 and 7, were taken away from the home for “unexplained bruises” on the children. When Isaac was 2 weeks old he had to have surgery at Riley Hospital For Children in Indianapolis. And before the couple met Healthy Families coordinator Amber Boyer, they were a day from having the power at their apartment shut off. Healthy Families is a program through Cardinal Services. A home-based program that works with referrals from different organizations, Healthy Families works with expectant and new parents to help get their children off to healthy starts. It’s also designed to help with assistance for the families. Whether it’s finding ways for couples like Jason and Angie avenues to help pay their bills or simply by setting goals for families, Healthy Families looks to create a positive environment for newborns and children to grow up in. Boyer said families are refered through Kosciusko Community Hospital or agencies like Cardinal Center. The program is need-based and families have to meet certain low-income requirements. If those are met, a home worker is called out to meet with the family. “We work on the parent-child relationship in a lot of cases,” said Boyer. “In a lot of cases the parent doesn’t have a reference for that in their own lives.” Boyer said each family and each circumstance is different. For Jason and Angie, the bills kept piling up, they fought against charges levied by Child Protective Services all while trying to maintain their own relationship and raise Isaac. Jason works in a factory and said he could feel people judging and “looking down their noses” at him when word got out that CPS was involved with two of his children. “It’s like that game telephone. You play it and by the time it gets to that person over there the story is completely different,” said Jason. Rather than sulk, both Jason and Angie complied with every request by the state. Now, at the end of the school year they will have both children back in their home after living in foster care. “Our whole world was crashing down,” said Angie. “We were about to be homeless.” At that point a friend of Jason’s directed him to Healthy Families. They had never heard of the organization but called and immediately felt a glimmer of hope. “The first little glimmer of hope is when they helped us keep the electric company from shutting off our power,” said Angie. “At that point I was like finally, something is going our way.” A lot has changed for the couple in eight months. From the brink of homelessness the couple now is looking to buy a home that will save them about $500 a month. Angie is quick to thank Boyer for her help. “All I did was sit on the sidelines and cheer them on,” said Boyer. “It’s all them.” Gone too are the arguments. While the couple still have disagreements, they aren’t as heated since the burden of bills and court cases has lifted. Through Healthy Families, the couple learned about the Good Samaritan program which helped them with Isaac’s hospital bills. “They are your lifeline,” said Angie. “They let you know how you can get stuff done.” Jason said the whole experience has been humbling. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” said Jason as advice to other families in tough situations. “Ask for help. I swallowed my pride. Healthy Families is there to help.” For more information, call 574-372-3507.