Chattanooga, Signal Centers partner to expand aid to low-income parents and expecting parents

Logan Hullinger, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
·2 min read

Dec. 1—The Chattanooga Department of Community Development and Signal Centers have partnered to use the city's community centers to better serve low-income parents and pregnant women through the city's rebranded Family Forward Program.

Mayor Tim Kelly, city officials and Signal Centers CEO Donna McConnico announced the partnership to expand the Family Forward program, previously known as Baby University, on the steps of Chattanooga City Hall on Tuesday. The program began in 2015.

"We as the city of Chattanooga have the opportunity to break the balance of multi-generational poverty, prevent violence in our neighborhoods and ensure that young people are prepared for school and for the workplace," Kelly said.

Under the new partnership, services at the city's community centers will include parental support groups, childhood developmental screenings and fatherhood mentorship.

The community centers that will be utilized include Southside, Avondale, East Lake and Brainerd community centers, McConnico said.

"It's concrete support, but also social and emotional support, mental health support and employment," she said.

The program already provides a variety of services to low-income pregnant women and parents, including a home-visitation program to ensure healthy pregnancies, childhood development and proper education.

Since Family Forward's inception as Baby University, more than 1,250 adults and children have been served. Every pregnant woman received prenatal care, compared to the 76% who receive care countywide, according to Signal Centers.

In addition, 93% of students that received help graduated high school.

"We are focused and will be working diligently with partners throughout our community areas to ensure we're providing the services and programs, especially in our community areas that are underserved," said Tony Sammons, the city's administrator of community development.

In 2021, all 20 babies who were born with supportive services through the program had healthy birth weights. No one who participated went homeless, McConnico said.

Of the students that received help, 28 out of 29 stayed in school. Six students enrolled in college.

Contact Logan Hullinger at lhullinger@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @LoganHullinger.