WHOLE FAMILY APPROACH

A WHOLE FAMILY APPROACH

Central Missouri Community Action uses a Whole Family Approach to strengthen resilience for families. This approach focuses on building strong social connections, family well-being, and economic stability. CMCA staff work with families and communities by removing barriers and creating opportunities. Coaching is the core of our Whole Family Approach. Families who receive services from CMCA are often eligible for Family Coaching services. Family Success Coaches use a strengths-based model of family coaching and work with all members of the family to address needs, overcome barriers, and support families as they set goals and work toward achieving them.

Social Connections includes programs centered on leadership development, relationship skills, civic engagement, and community involvement.

Family Well-Being includes programs centered on health and wellness, cognitive development and parenting skills. Economic Stability includes programs centered on employment, safe and stable housing, education, and income and asset building.

WHO IS CMCA’S TYPICAL MEMBER?

Individuals seeking support through CMCA are called Members. We refer to our Members as members, rather than clients, because the work we do with our Members is collaborative. CMCA doesn’t simply provide one-time support. Instead, Members work with our staff to develop long-term, sustainable solutions to the obstacles that have kept them from being financially stable and self-reliant.

Generally, to ensure that our Members are able to move out of poverty toward financial stability and selfreliance they need the following: • Access to living wage jobs. • Access to affordable, safe, and stable housing. • Quality, affordable childcare. • Opportunities to build strong social connections, improve family well-being, and build economic stability.

Own Home

20.4% Have a Disability 60% Female 40% MALE

Typical CMCA Member

Female

18-64 years of age

H.S. Diploma or GED White Non-Hispanic Rents Home

Rent Home

Housing Data

2022 GRATITUDE REPORT HEAD START SUPPORTING SUCCESS

Janie, a CMCA Family Support Coach, first met Sandra and her family in 2020. Sandra’s family struggled to make ends meet and support her child Cayden. Cayden is a preschool child with emotional regulation problems that cause him to act out behaviorally. Sandra didn’t know how to manage his behaviors or how to help Cayden when he felt he was losing control of his emotions.

“When I first met Sandra and her family, their emotional state was frantic and worried,” said Janie. “I knew I needed to be a dependable figure for them.”

After meeting Sandra and Cayden, Janie began working with Sandra to complete an application for food stamps. She also worked with both Sandra and Cayden’s Head Start teachers to find ways to help Cayden manage his emotions more positively. Cayden learned to use techniques that include breathing to calm himself down when he feels overwhelmed. Sandra also began using the Head Starts Conscious Discipline approach to help Cayden learn how to regulate his emotions and address negative behaviors. Today, the family is in a much different place than they were the first day Janie met them. Thanks to their hard work and partnership with CMCA’s Head Start program, they have the skills and community connections they need to thrive. When asked how she felt about things, Sandra replied, “Thank you so much for helping me and my family!”