Transcript Pennsylvania MIECHV Stakeholders Meeting

Healthy Families America Overview
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
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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 parentchild 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)
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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
1-4
.5 point
Healthy Families America
Healthy Families America in Pennsylvania:
Erie County
Mifflin County
Maternity Care Coalition – Philadelphia