Shelter’s Healthy Families is a nationally recognized home visiting program that offers five years of free, one-on-one support for first-time parents who face multiple challenges.

These parents may be teenagers with a lack of support or limited education or parents experiencing mental health issues, suffering from substance abuse, or living in poverty. All need support and resources to help strengthen their family’s functioning and reduce their risk for child abuse or neglect.

Shelter’s multi-lingual staff work with parents during a child’s most formative years – from birth through age 5 – to create safe and healthy environments for their babies. Through regular home visits, Shelter staff support parents in achieving fundamental skills such as stress management, effective discipline, health care, and nutrition while connecting them to critical community resources.

The staff-family relationship is essential for building both confidence and competence. For many at-risk parents, this is the first time they have a reliable, compassionate support system and someone invested in their success. 

Shelter has been providing home visiting services for 25 years and was one of the first Healthy Families America programs in Illinois serving as a model for other programs throughout the state. We are the only program in Northwest Suburban Cook County serving first-time mothers of all ages. In our 25-year history, only one child has been removed from his home due to allegations of abuse or neglect. 

Healthy Families is funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services.

• If you are pregnant and need support or know someone that is call us at 847.255.8060
• Email us at shelter@shelter-inc.org
• Complete the Information Request Form
• View our Healthy Families pamphlet in English
• Mira nuestro pacquete de Familias Sanas en Español

Healthy Families is funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services.