Overview of Healthy Families America Program
Healthy Families America is an evidence-based home visiting program developed in 1992 by Prevent Child Abuse America. It aims to provide nurturing care to children for their healthy development and has shown positive outcomes in reducing child maltreatment, improving parent-child interactions, and enhancing family functioning. The program focuses on building community partnerships, promoting healthy childhood growth, and engaging overburdened families in home visiting services.
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Healthy Families America Developed in 1992 by Prevent Child Abuse America Evidence-based home visiting model 400 Affiliated HFA programs in 40 states, DC, and US territories: Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Northern Commonwealth of the Marianas, the America Samoa, and Canada
Healthy Families America HFA Vision: All children receive nurturing care from their family essential to leading a healthy and productive life. Research base indicates it is the primary home visiting model best equipped to work with families who may have histories of trauma, intimate partner violence, mental health and/or substance abuse issues.
Healthy Families America Based on evaluations of program models in 12 states, HFA outcomes are: Reduced child maltreatment; Increased utilization of prenatal care and decreased pre- term, low weight babies; Improved parent-child interaction and school readiness; Decreased dependency on welfare, or TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and other social services; Increased access to primary care medical services; and Increased immunization rates.
Healthy Families America HFA Program Goals: Build and sustain community partnerships to systematically engage overburdened families in home visiting services prenatally or at birth. Cultivate and strengthen nurturing parent- child relationships. Promote healthy childhood growth and development. Enhance family functioning by reducing risk and building protective factors.
Healthy Families America Based on 12 Critical Elements: 1. Initiate services prenatally or at birth. 2. Use a standardized tool to systematically determine which families would benefit from intensive home visiting services. 3. Offer service voluntarily and use positive, persistent outreach efforts to build family trust.
Healthy Families America 12 Critical Elements continued: 4. Offer services intensively (at least once per week). Have clear, well-defined criteria for decreasing services over time. Offer services for at least 3-5 years. 5. Services should be culturally competent. Staff and materials used should reflect the diversity of the population served.
Healthy Families America 12 Critical Elements continued: 6. Services should focus on supporting parents, promoting a healthy parent-child relationship, and assuring healthy child development. 7. At a minimum, families should be linked to a medical provider to assure optimal health and development of the baby.
Healthy Families America 12 Critical Elements continued: 8. Services should be provided by staff with limited caseloads to assure that an adequate amount of time is spent with each family. 9. Service providers should be selected because of their personal characteristics, skills, and willingness to work with diverse communities.
Healthy Families America 12 Critical Elements continued: 10. All service providers should receive basic training in areas such as domestic violence, substance abuse, cultural competency, family systems, child development, etc. 11. Service providers should receive intensive training specific to their role, i.e., parenting resource coordinator, family support worker, supervisor, and program manager.
Healthy Families America 12 Critical Elements continued: 12. Service providers should receive ongoing effective supervision. Affiliation and Accreditation Processes Core Trainings: Parent Survey Home Visitation Strategies Record Screen determines eligibility
Healthy Families America Parent Survey (Kempe Family Stress Checklist) Parent s Childhood Experience Lifestyle Behaviors and Mental Health Parenting Experience Coping Skills and Support Systems Stresses Anger Management Expectations of Infant s Developmental Milestones and Behaviors Plans for Discipline Perception of New Infant Bonding and Attachment
Healthy Families America Weighted Case Management System Level Value Level 1 Prenatal 2.0 points Level 1 2.0 points Level 1 SS (special services) 3.0 points Level 2 1.0 point Level 3 .5 point Level 4 .5 point Home Visits 2-4 4 4 2 1 0-1 Level X .5 point 1-4
Healthy Families America Healthy Families America in Pennsylvania: Erie County Mifflin County Maternity Care Coalition Philadelphia
