Pennsylvania MIECHV Stakeholders Meeting

Healthy Families America Overview

Healthy Families AmericaDeveloped in 1992 by Prevent Child

Abuse AmericaEvidence-based home visiting model400 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 AmericaHFA 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 AmericaBased on evaluations of program models in

12states, 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 AmericaHFA 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 AmericaBased 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 America12 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 America12 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 America12 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 America12 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 America12 Critical Elements continued:12.Service providers should receive

ongoing effective supervision.Affiliation and Accreditation

ProcessesCore Trainings:• Parent Survey• Home Visitation StrategiesRecord Screen – determines eligibility

Healthy Families AmericaParent 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 AmericaWeighted Case Management

SystemLevel Value Home VisitsLevel 1 – Prenatal2.0 points 2-4Level 1 2.0 points 4Level 1 – SS (special services) 3.0 points 4Level 2 1.0 point 2Level 3 .5 point 1Level 4 .5 point 0-1

Level X .5 point 1-4

Healthy Families AmericaHealthy Families America in

Pennsylvania:

Erie County

Mifflin County

Maternity Care Coalition – Philadelphia