Toppenish, WA – Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic has been awarded the international Losos Prize for Innovation by Parents as Teachers National Center for their incorporation of innovations into their home visiting services in response to the experiences, socioeconomic situations, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the families they serve.
The award from Parents as Teachers National Center, the most widely implemented evidence-based early childhood home visiting program in the US, recognizes affiliates whose innovations and community impact stand out as exceptional in the field. Chosen applicants demonstrate inventive solutions to community or caregiver needs or to program systems.
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic has introduced a series of new contextualized activities, including Positive Indian Practices (PIP), Mindfulness Meditation, Zumbini, and infant massage. They were implemented in response to the challenges and opportunities identified through program assessments and are designed to support caregivers and enhance parent-child interactions, addressing issues such as stress, social capital, and parent-child dynamics.
Qualitative feedback from families indicates that these practices have led to improvements in parent confidence, increased social support, and a reduction in feelings of isolation.
“Receiving the LOSOS Prize for Innovation highlights our commitment to creative, family-centered services and our efforts to expand the home visiting model. By analyzing family needs and integrating practices like Zumbini®, we are reducing barriers and fostering meaningful opportunities for families and children to thrive,” said program manager Vanessa Frias.
The Losos Award will be presented at the 2026 Parents as Teachers International Conference in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, October 5, 2026. The largest conference dedicated to early childhood home visitors in the US, it will bring together over 2,500 professionals and leaders in child development and family support for four days of professional development and networking.
About Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers creates strong communities, thriving families, and children who are healthy, safe, and learning by matching parents and caregivers with trained professionals for regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years, from pregnancy through kindergarten. With over 188,000 families served in all 50 U.S. states, 127 Tribal organizations, and six other countries, the Parents as Teachers evidence-based home visiting model is backed by over 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Annually, Parents as Teachers National Center supports over 10,000 professionals and partners with more than 2,000 organizations, including school systems, social service nonprofits, health departments, tribal organizations, and military installations.