HistoryThe Parent-Child Center is a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) agency serving families in Washington County. The Centers mission is child abuse prevention and advocacy for children. The Parent-Child Center programs serve this mission by changing parenting behaviors, educating the community for positive parenting, and advocating with other professional agencies for the best interests of children and families.
The Center was organized originally in 1983 as an umbrella program housed with the Family Services Agency. The Parent-Child Center became independent in 1988 and currently runs multiple programs serving Washington County families. Programs now in place at the Center (in order they were introduced) are as follows:
- PARENT AIDE home-based intervention—volunteers model appropriate parenting and provide an on-going mentoring relationship that improves parenting skills
- PARENTING CLASSES and CHILD SELF-ESTEEM GROUPS a series of classes led by trained facilitators
- BODY SAFETY coloring book—developed in-house and distributed to pre-schoolers and their parents
- A LOOK IN THE MIRROR a half-hour TV Video for educating the community on child abuse prevention
- RIGHT FROM THE START targets first-time pregnant teens and provides intensive home-based intervention services for up to eighteen months. Promotes the mother’s ability to meet her child’s physical and emotional needs.
- TEEN VOICES/TEEN CHOICES is a group of teenage parents trained to go into the community and talk to Washington County’s youth about the realities of teen parenting and telling the truth about how an unplanned pregnancy changed every aspect of their lives.
When The Parent-Child Center became independent in 1988, it was faced with the challenge of being self-supporting. To that end, the Center developed and produced its first Telethon on NBC-25 in April of 1989. The Telethon has become a yearly event and is the Center’s largest fundraiser. In addition, the Telethon has production greatly enhances the Center’s ability to educate the community about child abuse prevention and the programs and services it provideS.
Now recognized as the major resource in this community for parenting issues andchild abuse prevention services, The Parent-Child Center offers all of its programs free of charge. During its history, The Parent-Child Center has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of parents and children in Washington County, supporting parents’ efforts to change destructive patterns and breaking the intergenerational pattern of child abuse.
Major Milestones
2006 Teamed with Panera Bread providing bread to clients
2006 Teamed with Target providing cleaning supplies to clients
2005 Began parenting seminars
2004 In conjunction with the Health Department began EPIC communications with Washington County physicians on ways to detect child abuse
2003 Began providing diapers, formula and Christmas toys to hundreds of children
2002 Began allowing people to work-off their community service hours in the center—a win/win solution
2002 Began in-house parenting classes
2002 Setup garage furniture warehouse
2002 Purchased current facility at 998 Potomac Avenue, Hagerstown, MD 21742
2001 Setup the clothing closet
1999 Kicked off Teen Voices/Teen Choices program
1998 Started independent fundraising initiatives
1998 Center manned by four full-time employees: executive director, two program directors and administrative assistant
1996 Started production of the video, “A father is for Life”
1994 Initiated “Right from the Start” program
1994 “A look in the Mirror,” video started educating the community on abuse prevention
1993 Developed “Body Safety” coloring book distributed to preschoolers and their parents
1992 Began nurturing classes
1990 Started the Child Advocacy Program and Parenting Classes