Self Study-FCRP

Introduction
University of Missouri (MU) Extension has a strong commitment to and history of working with low income and at risk children, youth, and families. Programming may be directly funded through CYFAR, other grants and/or contracts. Some programming may not receive special funding, however, all contribute to improving outcomes for at risk children, youth, and families of Missouri.

While the programs highlighted in Module 3 may not be directly funded by CYFAR, they have been influenced in some way by the Family and Community Resource Program (FCRP) made possible through CYFAR New Communities Projects (NCP) funding.

Building Strong Families (BSF)
Building Strong Families is one of University of Missouri Extension's programs designed to help working parents of school age children build assets, face challenges, and make choices. The program is led by faculty from the Human Environmental Sciences Extension program. Building Strong Families is based on the philosophy that all individuals and families have assets that can be enhanced if they are treated as partners in their own learning process.

BSF covers 13 topics in a workshop setting. The curricula uses hands-on activities to teach participants the following topics: Family Strengths; Communicating; Managing Stress, Child Self-Care; Food and Fitness; Working; Goal Setting; Positive Discipline; Money Matters; Balancing Responsibilities; Consumer Beware; Healthy House; and Kids and Self-Esteem.

Building Strong Families is based on research showing that family members can make significant behavior changes by focusing on assets rather than problems. Research also has shown that stronger families are less likely to abuse or neglect their children.

Building Strong Families has partnered with 4-H Center for Youth Development faculty to develop and pilot five (5) new workshop topics for youth audiences (ages 5-12) that complement the adult workshops. The youth topics have been used primarily in afterschool programs. BSF program leaders hope that the youth versions will eventually be used in 4-H camps, 4-H clubs, group homes, churches, and other youth groups.

Center on Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Parenting (CASPP)
Human Environmental Sciences Extension faculty have provided leadership for the Center on Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy and Parenting (CASPP) at the University of Missouri-Columbia. CASPP sponsors several community-based programs, including the Missouri Volunteer Resource Mothers (MVRM), the Maltreatment and the Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program (MAPPP), and the HIV/AIDS risk-reduction project .

The MAPPP model was selected as a national CYFAR training in 2003 because of the positive impact MAPPP has on violence prevention. All of the programs listed above are currently operating in both rural and urban communities in Missouri.

In addition to the community based programs mentioned above, CASPP staff provide:

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program
The Human Environmental Sciences (HES) Extension Consumer and Family Economics faculty have been in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and local community action agencies for several years in Missouri. The partnership has focused on the establishment and promotion of community-based Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites; educating the public (especially low-income citizens) about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other family tax credits; providing financial literacy education; and encouraging asset development.

HES has an extensive web site that supports the Taxpayer Education Initiative that offers information and resources for local VITA site leaders. VITA volunteers receive IRS training and provide free tax assistance to low income, disabled, homebound, and English as a second language taxpayers. Some VITA sites provide assistance only to those taxpayers who are eligible for the EITC. Extension faculty coordinate volunteer training, assist with volunteer recruitment, promote the local sites, provide technical assistance to site managers, and offer basic financial education and information to VITA clients.

Because VITA sites do not exist in some rural areas, many Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites will serve low-income taxpayers who do not have access to VITA. TCE volunteers provide free tax assistance to individuals in many communities who are age 60 and older. All TCE sites provide assistance with state tax credits. Also, AARP volunteers provide assistance at many TCE sites to those age 60 and older and also serve other taxpayers with middle and low income.