Crisis Nursery

Crisis Nursery
of Olmsted County

Word Cloud

Ice Breaker: A singer notices a talented vocalist, a car mechanic notices a well made engine. What do you notice?

Multiple Select

How long has Crisis Nursery been a program in Olmsted County?

• Since Jackie was in Head Start

• Since the twins were world series champions

• Since a Gorilla escaped Como Zoo

• Since Nelson Mandela was president

Multiple Choice

Approximately, how many diapers did Crisis Nursery provide families last month?

• 400

• 900

• 1,300

• 1,700

Multiple Choice

What is the most common reason people initially use Crisis Nursery services

• Lapse in Childcare Care Assistance

• Quality time with Nikki and Jackie

• Mental Health Breaks

• Monthly Diapers and Wipes

​Purpose of our Program:

1. Reduce and alleviate parental stress while providing safe quality care for the children

2. Provide immediate, short-term assistance to families experiencing overwhelming circumstances

3. Reduce risk of family needing more intensive child protection services

4. Child care need is often times a symptom of a bigger issue. (Medical, financial, mental illness, break-up of family, domestic violence). We help connect families to resources to help with the underlying issues

Nikki and Jackie are available M-F 8:00-4:30 pm to answer phone calls, meet with clients, and work on cases

507-287-2020, Press 1 for Crisis Nursery
Appointments are highly encouraged!

​​Crisis Nursery Hours

Extra special perk of our program

For urgent situations after 4:30 pm, weekends, and Holidays

507-535-5624

​​After Hours Line

Who do we serve:

• Families with children age birth-12 years old

• Residents of Olmsted County

  • (current grant available for families residing in counties next to Olmsted)

• No income requirements

• Families must be experiencing, or anticipate experiencing a crisis situation.

  • "Crisis" can be, but not limited to: Risk of losing job, mental health break, birth of child, lapse in usual childcare provider, etc.

​Referral:
self-referrals or with interpreter, provider, etc. Describe situation and schedule intake

Intake:
At FFMN Main office
No documentation needed
Gather information
Sign paperwork
Create tentative plan

Find Childcare
& Connect Family with Resources

Send Childcare vouchers to Providers with approved care

Follow up:
Resources utilized
Overall experience with Childcare Provider
Assist families acquiring long-term financial assistance

Receive invoice from Providers, Process and Pay 1x a month

Some families will continue to use Crisis Nursery for diapers on a monthly basis for 1 year.

Common Challenges

• Rising childcare costs, especially with larger families

• Families with transportation barriers

• Childcare for unvaccinated children

• Smaller number of childcare providers

• Infant childcare, especially multiple infants

• Childcare on Weekends

• Drop-in childcare

• Childcare for children with disabilities, challenging behaviors, undiagnosed disabilities

Your turn...

Now that you have a better understanding of Crisis Nursery. Take this opportunity to read some situations we have come across in the last few months. Shout out suggestions on how you would help these clients as a Family Advocate.

​

A mom refers herself to Crisis Nursery and meets you for an intake. During the process, you learn that mom has a 1 year old child and recently separated from the child's father. The family is considered homeless and has been couch hopping around Rochester for the last few weeks. She asked the child's father for financial help and he told her "Can't you just drop her off at Social Services?!". The mom is starting a new job next week and needs help paying for childcare until she receives a paycheck.

What are some ideas you can think of about how to best serve this family?

A PSOP social worker calls Crisis Nursery to see if you can help her client. She is with mom who is having significant abdominal pains. She has called the hospital and they want her to come in right away. She has already been to the ER the night before and was sent home. She has 4 week old twins. The social worker and her have gone through mom's list of social supports, and no one is available to watch them today.

What can you think of for ideas on how to help them?

A new client calls Friday afternoon. Her job scheduled her to work this weekend, which she typically does not work, and so she needs childcare for 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday this week. She will lose her job if she does not come in. The kids are 3 & 5, no special accommodations are needed.

What are some ways we can help them?

Poll

Thank you

now how amazing was this presentation?

• The best I've ever experienced

• It was so good they should pay you to present

• I wish there was more music

• I'm just here for the food