Home Visitor of the Year: Jocelyn Martinez in Los Angeles, CA
As a family support counselor with All for Kids in Los Angeles, a program under the Healthy Families America umbrella, Jocelyn Martinez spends her days guiding parents, empowering children and creating meaningful change within the homes she visits.
Martinez has been in the home visiting field for two years, following earlier work supporting children with autism. That experience, she said, inspired her to expand her reach and support families as a whole unit.
“I like the fact that the whole family is included,” Martinez said. “You're not just helping the child — you're helping everyone, including the parents and siblings, be on the same page. Home visiting brings the whole family together.”
Each week, Martinez meets with families in their homes, typically for an hour. The frequency of her visits may shift depending on a family's needs or risk level, but her commitment remains constant. Her goal is simple but powerful: To meet families where they are, offering support, guidance and education on child development, parenting skills and access to services.
That personal approach paid off in a particularly memorable case involving a mother concerned about her baby’s delayed development.
“The mom was aware that there was a delay in motor development, and she took the initiative to get services from the regional center when the baby was nine months old,” Martinez said. “With the help of therapy and special activities that I provided, the baby started crawling at 13 months.”
Moments like that affirm Martinez’ sense of purpose — and underscore the impact that personalized, consistent support can make during critical early years.
The work is deeply collaborative, requiring both professional knowledge and a genuine connection with families. Martinez says she is constantly learning, often drawing from curriculum materials, trusted sources and colleagues to ensure she is offering accurate, relevant guidance.
It’s the relevance that she finds sets home visiting apart from other forms of support. Home visitors are in the home and intimately know what the family needs help with.
“We tailor everything to the needs of the family,” Martinez said. “If you’re looking for child development information, parenting skills, access to resources or help with family goals — whatever it is, we’ll focus on that.”
For as much impact she has on the families she works with, she finds the rewarding nature of home visiting to be two-fold.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see how a small amount of support from someone they don’t know can help families grow stronger and become more resilient,” Martinez said. “But home visiting also leaves a positive impact on my own professionalism. Everyday I’m developing stronger communication skills, building relationships with families and community resources, and gaining leadership and advocacy skills.”
In every visit, every conversation and every milestone celebrated, Jocelyn Martinez is doing more than offering support — she is building bridges of trust and resilience that extend far beyond the hour she spends in a home. Through her dedication, she is helping Los Angeles families grow, connect and thrive.