Juanita Cox’s Story: Building Trust from the Passenger Seat
Healthy Families Massachusetts is a home visiting program available in every city and town across the Commonwealth for first-time parents. The real impact of the program comes through dedicated home visitors like Juanita Cox, a Healthy Families home visitor at Catholic Charities of Boston. This is her story.
“I think when people hear that title, it can sound simple,” Juanita says. “They think I go into people’s homes, check in on families, track baby milestones, and connect families to resources. And that’s true – those things are all part of the job. But what I actually do day to day is more human than that.”
For Juanita, the biggest part of her day-to-day work is showing up for these families. Many of the dozen or so families she works with feel alone, and like they don’t have people they can rely on to show up for them. To address these feelings of isolation, Juanita builds connection through conversation and stays present, even when they cancel visits or don’t answer her texts.
“One thing that’s really special about Healthy Families is that we don’t stop. I keep calling. I keep checking in. I keep trying. We don’t give up on our families,” Juanita adds. “And over time, that really makes a difference because a lot of families I work with have had experiences where people don’t show up, or where support goes away quickly. Every time I answer their phone call after weeks of no contact, every time I come back, even when it’s hard, helps to build trust.”
Once families start to experience what trust, support, and connection feel like, Juanita sees them learn to seek it out in others. She’s seen parents reconnect with partners, family members, and become more open to other community support. On days when the job feels hardest, Juanita focuses on the moments where she sees parents start to trust themselves, reach out for support, or just feel a little less alone. Those instances remind her why the work matters so much.
“We talk a lot about how we’re not driving the car – we’re in the passenger seat,” Juanita says. “That’s stuck with me.
“Instead of giving answers, I ask a lot of questions. I try to understand what’s going on, what’s working for them, what isn’t. And sometimes families will ask me directly, ‘What should I do?’ I have to remind myself – and them – that they don’t actually need me to make the decision. They need space to think things through, and I support them while they do that. And when they have that person they trust in the passenger seat, families start to feel more grounded. More confident. They start to trust themselves.”
“That confidence doesn’t just stay in that one moment,” she continues. “It carries into other parts of their lives: how they make decisions, how they handle stress, how they show up for their child. I think that’s the part of this work that’s harder to measure, but it’s the core of why I show up every day. Because yes, we’re supporting families in the moment and we’re connecting them to concrete resources. But we’re also helping them build something that lasts – relationships, confidence, a sense that they’re not alone and that they can figure things out.