FAMILY-FOCUS PLAN GETS GRANT PARENTS HELPED TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley Hospital's Healthy Homes program has been awarded a $120,000 grant from a Southern California philanthropic organization.

The program, aimed at preventing child abuse, was among nine that recently received $1.4 million in grants from the California Community Foundation.

``The project is a good fit with our priority of increasing access to health services that improve health and well-being,'' said Tara Westman, a spokeswoman for the foundation. ``We believe home visitation is a model that shows promise for improving child development and family functioning.

``Specifically, in reviewing the project with the Healthy Homes people, I was impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff to work with parents and give children a good start.''

Established in 1915, the California Community Foundation is among the 13 largest community foundations in the United States, with assets of nearly $530 million.

In the 1999-2000 fiscal year, the foundation awarded more than $113 million in grants to hundreds of nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County.

The foundation typically gives money to about one in five of the organizations, Westman said.

``We are going to use it to continue to serve families at risk and their children,'' said Lea Butterfield, Healthy Homes director. ``The overall goal is to create healthy, nurturing, safe and loving homes for the families, to help them (develop) positive lifestyles and avoid negative outcomes, such as child maltreatment or violence.''

The program focuses on helping families of children younger than 5. Before or immediately after a baby's birth, workers in the 3-year-old program determine whether the baby's family is at high risk for problems. If so, the family can be offered help in getting medical care, home visits, other support services and training.

The program promotes positive relationships between parents and children, and parents are encouraged to gain self-reliance, according to Butterfield.

The program has served more than 200 families, and about 70 are currently enrolled.

The program is being expanded with $1.2 million in funding promised over a three-year period from the county commission that disburses tobacco-tax revenue collected under Proposition 10, which voters adopted to raise funds for children's services.

The tobacco-tax money will be used in Healthy Homes to serve more families in Lancaster and Palmdale, to start serving families in the outlying community of Lake Los Angeles, and to provide educational programs to help people stop smoking.