Iowa State University Extension

Problem:
Parent Partner Grant - A new five year 3.5 million federal grant to help fund the Parent Partner project was presented to Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc., a regional partnership formed by nine rural northwest Iowa counties. The Lakes Area is a partner and will serve the counties of Clay, Dickinson, Osceola and O'Brien. The partnership will use the grant funds to build regional capacity so that child welfare, substance abuse, and community support services can increase access, availability and outreach programs. The services will provide for the well-being and permanency for children who are in out-of-home or at-risk placement as the result of parent's or caretaker's methamphetamine or substance abuse use.

Response:
Parent Partners asked the extension team to attend several Parent Partners planning sessions. The Staff shared extension resources available and some ideas of topics that could be presented to the group or to the parents that they are working with. The group was very open to try to think of some ways we could partnership. Extension staff scheduled two sessions in June on Budgeting. One in the Lakes Empowerment Area (Spencer) and one in the NW Empowerment Area (Remsen). Jan Burk and Rhonda Rosenboom were both asked to sit on the Parent Partner Boards in the area. Jan will be covering the Lakes Empowerment (Clay, Dickinson, O'Brien, and Osceola) and Rhonda will cover the NW Empowerment (Sioux, Lyon, Plymouth and Cherokee).

Impact:
Keeping $ Ahead Budgeting was presented to 23 moms off meth parents in two counties for two separate days. During the two hour sessions, concerns were addressed about lack of finances with high fuel and food costs. We talked about cash flow management skills, such as understanding your spending habits, tracking you’re spending and using that information to create a spending plan. We looked at how to create financial goals (saving, reducing debt) and plan for those goals in a spending plan. They learned about understanding the use of credit and how to read your credit report are important to help consumers understand how their actions may impact their credit report and how their credit report may affect financing.

Participants shared that all that all the information could be shared with their friends and family. "Extension treated me as a person, polite and friendly. She answered my questions, gave examples and explained the information thoroughly."

Additional ISUE Staff:
Rhonda Rosenboom, Family Life Field Specialist; 712-957-5045; rrosenb@iastate.edu
Denise Wyland, Family Nutrition and Health; 712-472-2576;dwyland@iastate.edu

Additional Team Members/Community Partners:
Parent Partners; Lori Carlson, coordinator; 712-332-2581

Contact:
Jan Burk
Clay County Extension
110 West 4th Street, Ste 100
Spencer, IA 51301
712-262-2264
janburk@iastate.edu