Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families

Our Programs

Among the work of the Partnership are two very important efforts - BrightStart, the statewide initiative that provides a comprehensive system for children ages 0-5, and LAPEN, the Louisiana Parenting Education Network, which ensures parents receive the support and education needed to give their children a better start in life. BrightStart is an initiative to provide a comprehensive and integrated system to ensure families and communities provide young children ages zero to five with opportunities for optimal physical, emotional, social and cognitive development to help them reach their full potential, and ultimately give Louisiana a competitive edge. Because a stronger Louisiana begins in early childhood. BrightStart's two primary goals are:

  1. To develop, maintain and strengthen service system integration and partnerships to better enhance a child's ability to enter school healthy and ready to learn.
  2. To continue to build an early childhood system that address these priority areas:
  • Access to Health Insurance and Medical Homes
  • Mental Health and Social-Emotional Development
  • Early Care and Education
  • Parenting Education/Family Support

BrightStart is administered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health - Maternal and Child Health Program. In addition, this initiative is being conducted under the sponsorship and guidance of the Governor's Children's Cabinet and the Children's Cabinet Advisory Board.

LAPEN The Louisiana Parenting Education Network is an association for parent educators in Louisiana. LAPEN is composed of professionals with different backgrounds and training, but who share a common vision - to provide high quality and effective parenting education. LAPEN provides leadership and support for Louisiana's parent educators in every field. LAPEN's goals are threefold:

  1. To develop and support a statewide network of parent educators who offer parenting education services.
  2. To promote best practices in parenting education.
  3. To provide and promote continuing education and professional development opportunities for parent educators

LAPEN's Guidance Team plays an essential role in the direction of LAPEN. The Guidance Team consists of Co-Chairs, Chairpersons of LAPEN Committees, BrightStart representation, and others interested in and willing to work on the behalf of LAPEN. To join LAPEN's email list contact lapen@lapartnership.org. For parenting education resources including articles and papers visit http://www.lapen.org/resources.