Eastern Regional Family Resource Network

Description

Family Resource Networks are a tool for local communities to assess their individual needs, develop local action plans, promote changes, evaluate results, and assist state agencies in improving the service delivery system. The Eastern Regional Family Resource Network (ERFRN) includes Grant, Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton counties. These counties represent a large geographical area in rural Appalachia. Transportation, culture and economic factors impact the ability of communities to regularly and successfully engage in collaborative efforts to address needs. The ERFRN works to assuage the effects of these factors by initiating and providing support for networking efforts. Each county has a local task force that meets monthly to work towards a local strategy to meet statewide and local goals pertaining to child and family well-being. The ERFRN is applying for VISTA members to assist with building the capacity of individuals and task forces to develop and/or implement sustainable plans for achieving identified goals.

Some projects that the ERFRN has helped make possible include: after school programs, Energy Express, school-based mental health, parenting programs, local chapters of the United Way, Children's Health Insurance outreach, tobacco prevention programs and non-emergency medical transportation.