Programs that provide a wide variety of social services that are designed to support healthy family development, improve the family's ability to resolve problems (such as poverty, unemployment, ill health, homelessness, substandard housing, educational difficulties, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy, delinquency and physical and developmental problems) and prevent the need for unnecessary placement of children in foster care, group homes, inpatient substance abuse or mental health treatment programs, residential training schools or other alternative environments when family problems reach crisis proportions. Services may include home visiting services that focus on public health issues (especially prenatal), mental health and substance abuse counseling, home management instruction, success in a child care setting, parenting skills development, stress management, tutoring, pregnancy awareness and AIDS awareness; may be available to the community at large, to families at risk for dissolution or those currently in crisis; and may be offered by a single agency or a coalition of agencies that have agreed to provide services according to a coordinated case plan.

Programs that operate a telephone counseling and information line that parents can call when they have childhood development questions, need advice regarding a specific parenting problem or need a referral for parenting resources.

Programs that maintain information about community resources that are appropriate for a specific target group or human services sector (for example, youth programs or addiction services) and which link individuals who are in need of specialized services with appropriate resources and/or which provide information about community agencies and organizations that offer specialized services.

Organizations that make an effort to increase the availability and utilization of community services by specific target populations by providing direct services for targeted individuals in their homes or other convenient locations or by making special efforts to ensure that a particular group is aware of available services and encouraged to participate. Included are programs that do outreach regarding their own services as well as those which encourage a target population to use a wide variety of services.

Families who, because of their economic or environmental situation or history or a health problem or disability, are considered more likely than others to follow a generational pattern of self-destructive behavior, criminal activity, gang involvement, substance abuse, child abuse, welfare dependency, chronic unemployment, homelessness, unwanted pregnancy and other problems which threaten the health, safety and/or personal development of family members.

Youth who, because of their economic, environmental or family situation, a health problem or disability or past behavior, are considered more likely than others to be affected by or become involved in child abuse or neglect, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, gang behavior, adolescent pregnancy, truancy, unemployment and other problems which threaten their health, safety and/or personal development.

The lawful mother and father of a person. Included are the natural mother or father of a child born to a valid marriage; the adoptive father or mother of a child jointly adopted by them; the natural mother of an illegitimate child if she is the sole guardian; the child's putative parent who has expressly acknowledged paternity and has contributed to the child's support; and any individual whose status as guardian of the child has been established by statute.

Programs that provide information and/or services that deal with the topic of parenting.