OF THE YEAR
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM . The Early Head Start program is a federally funded program that provides family-centered services to low-income families ( pregnant women and children up to age three ). The program is education-based and designed to promote the healthy development of children , support parents as their children ’ s first teachers and empower parents to move towards self-sufficiency . We complete a series of screenings to identify specific needs that each family may have , then support those families in meeting those needs to overcome any barriers that were identified . Families that live in poverty have a complexity of needs that go beyond just physical health . My role is to not only teach families about healthy practices , but also to empower them with the tools necessary to overcome the barriers associated with their socioeconomic factors . I also provide the knowledge and skills necessary to foster the confidence needed to advocate for themselves and their families within the health care settings . As a teenage parent living in poverty , I was enrolled in an Early Head Start program . The tools it provided empowered me to become a better parent . It also helped lay the foundation of my success today . This is the way I ’ m giving back to the world and making it better than how I found it .
TIESHA SEBASTIAN
LPN , Health and Nutrition Manager ( Early Head Start ); Child Care Health Consultant Nurse Supervisor at the Meeting Street Center
HOW DID YOU GET INTO NURSING ? After becoming a teenage parent , my childhood dream of becoming a doctor shifted to being a great mother to my children . I worked as a CNA for some years and was disappointed in what the delivery in care looked like , particularly within the long-term care setting and the care delivered to those with disabilities . I knew that as a nurse who specifically worked with the elderly and disabled population , I could make a difference and be a part of the change that I wanted to see .
WHAT ’ S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR ROLE ? My favorite part of being a licensed practical nurse is providing hope , love , compassion and care to those who need it at the most vulnerable times in their lives .
WHAT IMPACT HAS COVID-19 HAD ON YOU AS A NURSE ? I wish more people knew that this pandemic not only affected people physically , but also brought health disparities to the forefront . Many underserved communities suffered tremendously because they did not qualify for stimulus payments , additional unemployment benefits or government benefits . These blended , undocumented and working poor families didn ’ t have the option to work remotely . For many of them , it was either be present or receive no wages . I worked diligently within my capacity during the pandemic to reach these families and connect them with agencies that provided basic needs to aid in their struggle , give them hope and let them know that they are important and that their well-being matters . >>
60 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2021