Male Initiative Program (MIP)
Created during the demonstration phase in 1993, the Male Initiative Program (MIP) is a program designed to educate fathers – and other men involved in the life of a child – about how important they are to the outcome of a pregnancy and the ongoing health and well-being of the baby. The primary goal of MIP is to assist fathers and other positive male role models to maintain involvement with their children and families through the promotion of parenting skills and the benefits derived from peer and program support.
Who is eligible: The Male Initiative Program is available to any man who is either a father, biological or non-biological, or primary male caregiver and where the mother or female caregiver is enrolled with Healthy Start and resides in the project area.
What we do:
We offer the following free services:
Home visiting that includes:
- Case management services
- Help in identifying and connecting families with other health and social services via referrals
- Depression screening and referral
- General health and prevention education on prenatal/postpartum care, childbirth education, diet, exercise and nutrition, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), smoking cessation, and substance abuse
- Spouse/Significant other support
- Breastfeeding support
- Relationship Strengthening/Father to Father Support