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Parenting Support

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You can learn about support programs and resources available for people who have young children or are planning to have children.

Through the City's Littlest New Yorkers initiative, parents, and those planning to become parents, can be referred to parenting support services.

These services include:

  • Nurse Family Partnership
  • Newborn Home Visiting Program 
  • Early Intervention 
  • Parent Support Groups

A parenting resource specialist will help guide parents to resources in the city that include but are not limited to:

  • Immigrant Services
  • SNAP (Food Stamps)
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program
  • Office of Child Support Services

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

Parents, caregivers and other family members can get information about services and supports provided by community based organizations. These are also called prevention services (as in preventing “out of home or foster care” placement of children). The goal of prevention services is to support parents and help keep families together.

These programs can help meet critical needs, including:

  • Food, clothing, and household items
  • Strengthen family relationships
  • Address stress, health, and wellness
  • Provide referrals to supports like education, job training, immigration services, domestic violence services, and drug and alcohol recovery supports

Prevention services are free, voluntary, and available in every borough. Services are available to all families regardless of immigration status or language.  

Online

Learn more about support for families.

By Phone

English and Spanish speaking representatives are available during business hours. After hours, you will need to leave a message. 

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

Doulas provide non-medical support to pregnant people and their families before, during, and after childbirth.

Doulas can help you:

  • Prepare for birth and breastfeeding
  • Feel more comfortable during labor
  • Be more satisfied with your birth experience
  • Recover from childbirth
  • Bond with your baby

You may be eligible for free doula services through the Citywide Doula Initiative (CDI). The CDI is part of the New Family Home Visits Initiative.

Learn more about doula care.

Learn more about the Citywide Doula Initiative (CDI) and download resources.

Access the Doula-Friendliness Guidebook.

Eligibility

To enroll, you must:

The program is available to families regardless of their immigration status.

Priority is given to people who:

  • Live in a shelter
  • Are in foster care or have aged out
  • Have no other labor support
  • Are giving birth for the first time or the first time in at least 10 years
  • Had a previous traumatic birth experience
  • Have a high-risk medical condition, such as high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes

Programs

To enroll, contact a doula program directly. Each program is available only to people who live in the listed ZIP codes.

Bronx

Ancient Song Doula Services
(347) 778-3490
doula@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10472, 10473, 10474

Caribbean Women’s Health Association
(718) 826-2942
CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10472, 10473, 10474

Mama Glow Foundation
(718) 510-4015
info@mamaglow.com
ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10463, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10472, 10473, 10474

Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership
(212) 665-2600
info@nmppcares.org
ZIP codes: 10451, 10452, 10454, 10455, 10456

Brooklyn

Ancient Song Doula Services
(347) 778-3490
doula@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

By My Side Birth Support Program
(718) 637-5231
healthystartbrooklyn@health.nyc.gov
ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Caribbean Women’s Health Association
(718) 826-2942
CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Hope and Healing Family Center
(347) 384-1494
hhfc01@ymail.com
ZIP codes: 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11233, 11237, 11238, 11239

Mama Glow Foundation
(718) 510-4015
info@mamaglow.com
ZIP codes: 11203, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11212, 11216, 11221, 11220, 11224, 11226, 11232, 11233, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239

Manhattan

Ancient Song Doula Services
(347) 778-3490
doula@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
Zip codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Caribbean Women’s Health Association
(718) 826-2942
CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Mama Glow Foundation
(718) 510-4015
info@mamaglow.com
ZIP codes: 10002, 10003, 10009, 10013, 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Northern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership
(212) 665-2600
info@nmpcares.org
ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

The Mothership
(646) 598-7199
doula@themothershipnyc.com
ZIP codes: 10025, 10026, 10027, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10037, 10039, 10040

Queens

Ancient Song Doula Services
(347) 778-3490
doula@ancientsongdoulaservices.com
ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Caribbean Women’s Health Association
(718) 826-2942
CWHAdoulas@cwha.org
ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Mama Glow Foundation
(718) 510-4015
info@mamaglow.com
ZIP codes: 11101, 11368, 11369, 11412, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11423, 11429, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694

Staten Island

Community Health Center of Richmond
(917) 830-1200
gharris@chcrichmond.org
ZIP codes: 10301, 10303, 10304, 10310

Healthy Start Brooklyn provides education and support for:

  • Pregnancy
  • Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Breastfeeding 
  • Healthy living 

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

Doula Programs

If you live in Central or Eastern Brooklyn, you may qualify for free doula services with the By My Side Birth Support Program.

Doulas provide non-medical support to pregnant people and their families before, during, and after childbirth.

The By My Side Birth Support Program serves families in these ZIP codes:

  • 11207
  • 11208
  • 11216
  • 11221
  • 11233

Services include:

  • Home visiting for first-time pregnant women.
  • Home visiting for pregnant women or new parents up to 3 months after the birth.
  • “Sister Friend” support for pregnant women.
  • “Centering Pregnancy” group care for pregnant women.
  • Early-childhood and parent-education program for families with a child up to age 2.

If you live in other ZIP codes, you may be eligible for services through the Citywide Doula Initiative (CDI).

Learn more about free doula services in New York City.

Classes:

Healthy Start Brooklyn’s classes are open to all. 

They are held at various locations in Brownsville, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and East New York.

  • Fathers’ Group
  • Childbirth
  • Newborn care
  • Infant safety and CPR
  • Parenting skills for parents of babies or toddlers
  • Bereavement support for the loss of a pregnancy or child

The Fatherhood Initiative Program serves fathers at any level of child engagement. This includes fathers who are disconnected from or have no visitation with their children, have supervised visitation with their children, or have unsupervised visitation of their children, regardless of whether they are a non-custodial or custodial parent. 

 Programs sponsored by the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) are for:

  • Parenting skill training
  • Supervised visitation coaching
  • Case Management
  • Support groups (peer and family)
  • Mediation skills training
  • Family Events
  • Community Projects
  • Social Service Supports
  • Assistance with issues of child support
  • Financial Empowerment Services
  • Education Assistance

Fatherhood services sponsored by DYCD are free.

Learn more about DYCD's fatherhood initiative.

Fatherhood Programs (Referrals for Fathers)
To learn more about a fatherhood program near you and who to contact, visit discoverDYCD.

Bronx

Claremont Neighborhood Centers, Inc.
489 East 169 Street Bronx, NY 10456
(718) 588-1000

Metropolitan College of New York
463 East 149 Street Bronx, NY 10455
(718) 665-7787

Samuel Field YM & YWHA Inc
1665 Hoe Avenue Bronx, NY 10460
(813) 317-0014

The New York Foundling
501 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY 10455
(646) 906-1172

University Behavioral Associates, Inc.
2432 Grand Concourse Bronx, NY 10458
(929) 234-4834

Youth Justice Network Inc
424 East 147 Street Bronx, NY 10455
(718) 522-3534

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service
1835 Sterling Place, Brooklyn, NY 11233
(929) 484-1074

Rising Ground Inc
111 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(914) 557-6866

SCO Family of Services
1360 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY 11216
(347) 554-0076

Youth Justice Network Inc
25 Chapel Street Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 653-5301

Manhattan

Living Redemption Community Development Corp.
75 West 125 Street NY, NY 10027
(646) 740-7483

Real Dads Network
1445 Madison Avenue NY, NY 100229
(646) 207-8949

Rising Ground Inc
317 Lenox Avenue NY, NY 10027
(914) 966-9457

Queens

Community Mediation Services, Inc.
89-64 163rd Street Queens, NY 11432
(718) 523-6868

Forestdale Inc
67-35 112 Street, Queens, NY 11375
(718) 301-9973

Staten Island

The New York Foundling
1 Edgewater Street SI, NY 10305
(929) 829-0291

United Activities Unlimited, Inc.
400 Victory Boulevard SI, NY 10301
(718) 448-5151

NYC DADS helps you meet the financial and emotional responsibilities of fatherhood in positive and meaningful ways.

NYC DADS hosts free events throughout the five boroughs to help dads with limited financial resources spend quality time with their children.

Online

Learn more about NYC DADS and agencies that serve fathers and families.

By Phone

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

The CUNY Fatherhood Academy is a free program designed to promote responsible parenting and foster economic stability for unemployed and underemployed young fathers ages 18 to 25. The program focuses on education, employment and personal development. 

Participants take part in:

  • Parenting workshops
  • GED high school equivalency test preparation courses
  • College exploration and enrollment support services
  • Job readiness services

The program is available at 3 CUNY community college campuses:

  • Hostos Community College (Bronx) 
  • Kingsborough Community College (Brooklyn) 
  • LaGuardia Community College (Queens) 

The program offers two separate tracks occurring at two different times. You can contact the school for additional information.

Eligibility Requirements and Contact Information

All applicants must be:

  • Residents of NYC
  • 18 to 25 years old
  • A father or expectant father

To qualify for GED preparation, applicants should not already have a High School Equivalency or General Education Diploma. To qualify for the college preparation program, applicants cannot currently be enrolled in college. Applicants who already have up to 12 college credits may qualify.  

Contact the school for additional information:

  • Hostos Community College:  (718) 319-7931
  • Kingsborough Community College:  (718) 368-6523
  • LaGuardia Community College:  (718) 730-7337

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