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Detroit Celebrates Parenting Awareness Month

DETROIT (WWJ) - In commemoration of "Parenting Awareness Month" Detroit Health officials conducted a day-long parenting fair at the Herman Keifer Family Health Center.

State and city health officials provided information to parents about a special low-cost health insurance program for dependents up to age 21 that

Parenting Awareness Fair
(credit: Pat Sweeting)

are being treated for chronic illnesses.

Vickie Eaddy, who works with the Children's Health Care Services Program, said "We deal with specialist. There are over 3,000 diagnoses. We offer case management, specialty doctors, transportation, assistance with special education and different types of medical drugs."

The services are free to families on Medicaid. For others charges are based on the sliding fee scale.

Staffers passed along pamphlets, brochures and other parenting guides on a wide variety of subjects.

Karen Thomas, Preventative Manger with the Bureau of Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery spoke on the needs of young parents.

"We have plenty of resources to help them with what children are dealing with today. A lot of it is violence in our communities helping them to talk with their children about the detriments of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs," said Thomas.

A 27-year-old local mother of five, Shemika Buthia said that she attended the health fair because she want to give her children a jumpstart on education and nutrition.

For more information Children's Health Care Services Program, contact the state or your local health department.

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