Harbin Clinic: Celebrations of Hope in April

Photos Harbin Clinic

During April, a host of spinning blue pinwheels are planted in the grass near several Harbin Clinic locations, a reminder that there is hope for the children of at-risk families. Harbin Clinic and Atrium Health Floyd partnered with The Exchange Club Family Resource Center and Advocates for Children this month to raise awareness and provide encouragement, education and practical help for our children and families in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Children see their pediatrician for an average of 15 well-child visits in their first five years. Therefore, Harbin Clinic and Atrium Health pediatricians are natural partners in the awareness effort as they manage the physical, mental and emotional well-being of their patients in every stage of development. By building a relationship with a health care professional early on, families are equipped with tools to support children’s emotional, social and cognitive development.

Dr. Robersteen Howard, a pediatrician with Harbin Clinic, said one in seven children in Georgia experience neglect or abuse each year.

“It is our collective responsibility to raise awareness, to provide support and take action,” she said. “By working together we can create safer environments, advocate for stronger protections and ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy, safe and supported. I am proud to work in a community where this is so important,” she concluded.

Positive parenting through community support

The Exchange Family Resource Center works with parents who feel overwhelmed. Tina Bartleson, executive director of The Exchange Family Resource Center said, “Maybe parents or caregivers have a colicky baby, or they are not confident about how to raise children in supportive, healthy ways. We go into homes and work with families every week for one to two hours for up to a year. We bring in information about child development, parenting, life skills, budgeting—anything they need to deal with whatever challenges they are facing.”

“What we find,” she said, “is some parents do not have access to good information. There are so many things coming at them. When coupled with the everyday parenting pressure, it can be overwhelming.” She continued, explaining their system is based on trust and relationships. Although some parents are hesitant to get involved at first, they often later say, “Please don’t go!”

Advocates for Children, another valuable community partner, works in 11 counties in Northwest Georgia. Amanda Tant, vice president at Advocates, said, “We have eight distinct programs, all designed to prevent child abuse and build family capacity.”

One such parent education program is “Hope in Your Home – First Steps.” Each year, Advocates for Children visits hundreds of babies in the hospital to give new families initial support in an exciting but sometimes overwhelming moment.

Further expressing the impact of community entities working together, Bartleson, concluded, “I want to express my appreciation to Harbin Clinic and Atrium Health Floyd for sponsoring this year’s pinwheels placement event. Child Abuse Prevention Month is about renewing our commitment to children and the families that care for them. I am so grateful to be working in a time when agencies come together to serve families.”