Welcome to Whole Kids Outreach! Programs

Whole Kids provides its services through four programs—the Resource Mothers Program (RMP), the Family Enhancement Program (FEP), and the Maternal-Child Visiting Nurse Program (MCVNP), and the Center-based programs (CBP). The programs are distinct in their designs and goals, but work in an integrated fashion to help meet our families’ health and wellness needs.

Strengthening Families by building caring relationships with families, Whole Kids Outreach is making lasting improvements in the health of children and of communities in six rural Missouri counties: Carter, Reynolds, Wayne, Shannon, Iron, and Butler. Reaching out to families with respect and compassion, we help them obtain health care and parenting education, and we connect them with other community organizations. Our families are often isolated and lack transportation, therefore we bring services to their homes. More than 200 pregnant women and families with young children receive these in-home services at any given time. We offer additional programs and activities at the Whole Kids Outreach Center in Ellington, where families and children participate in a wide variety of recreational and educational activities.

Resource Mothers Program
Experienced mothers from the community visit expectant and new mothers and newborns in their homes. These committed women, who have been trained as childbirth educators, ensure that women receive care before and after giving birth and offer help throughout the baby’s first year of life.

Maternal-Child Visiting Nurse Program
WKO works in collaboration with Nurses for Newborns Foundations to provide Registered Nurses to visit expectant and new parents. Our nurses help ensure that pregnant women receive appropriate prenatal care and health education. They also teach parents skills to help guarantees that newborns receive needed health services. The nurses also work with WKO’s Outreach Specialists to coordinate care for the families who are also in the Resource Mothers and Family Enhancement programs.

Family Enhancement Program
This program focuses on the needs of children who have experienced domestic violence, abuse/neglect, or developmental delays. It teaches parents skills to raise healthy children and helps families learn to successfully navigate their daily lives. Outreach Specialists also work with families during crisis episodes to help teach problem solving skills that will hopefully reduce the times that the family experiences such disruption.

Center-Based Programs
The Whole Kids Outreach Center offers a vast array of programs to promote emotional and physical health. Families, children, and other community members participate in support groups and recreational activities such as summer Day Camp and the Riding Program—a comprehensive, wellness oriented equine program. WKO also offers safety programs such as swimming safety classes, parent support groups, and community events.