County ECEAP offers healthcare training to families
 
Snohomish County’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) will again deliver the Health Care Institute to more than 300 underserved families in Snohomish County.
 
ECEAP is a free, family focused school-readiness program preparing 3- and 4-year-old children for school while giving parents the tools they need to raise healthier families.
 
“The earlier we prepare children and families for school, the more successful they will be, which overall benefits them as individuals as well as this community,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon.
 
Under the Health Care Institute, parents receive training on how to best respond to a child’s illnesses. The program also teaches parents how to use medical services more efficiently so as to reduce their healthcare costs. The rewards are significant for children, parents, the healthcare system and the community.
 
During the healthcare training, ECEAP parents will receive a healthcare reference book, first-aid kit and more. In the months following training, ECEAP family support staff will meet with families to see how the training has helped them improve their healthcare needs.
 
Last year in Snohomish County, the project helped achieve a 52-percent decrease in the number of participants’ doctor visits for common illnesses. Visits to the emergency room also decreased 16 percent while treatment at home increased 26 percent.
 
 The Health Care Institute Parent Trainings will be held at 21 ECEAP sites during October and November for enrolled families.
 
For more information on the County’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, contact Joe Varano at 425-388-7251 or joe.varano@snoco.org