Home Visiting
NECTAC topic editor: Lynda Pletcher
Most recent additions to this page:
Home
Visiting Application Process: A Guide for Planning State Needs Assessments (Child Trends, June 30, 2010)  (PDF: 1,376kb)
This guide is to help states apply for federal home visiting grants. It outlines key steps for completing the grant application process and
provides national and state-level data useful to applicants conducting needs assessments, identifying high-risk populations, and selecting
and measuring benchmarks. It also offers research-based insights for planning a new program. This guide does not address every element
required for inclusion in state applications and is not intended to be used as a checklist. (added July 1, 2010)
The new federal Maternal, Infant, and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program was created as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which was passed March 23, 2010. This
news release from May 11, 2010, from HRSA and
ACF stated that they are looking forward to partnering with the States and
all other interested parties to develop an effective and well-coordinated program to promote early childhood health and development
and improve outcomes and opportunities for children and families. (added May 17, 2010)
Detailed Summary of Home Visitation
Program in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (March 31, 2010) (PDF: 95kb) from
CLASP. (added May 17, 2010)
Pew Center Home Visiting Center and Campaign's
The Case for Home Visiting (May 2010)
(PDF: 154kb) and Fact Sheet on the public
education and advocacy campaign in NC, LA, OH, and WA (May 2010) (PDF: 108kb) . (added May 17, 2010)
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There are many home visiting models and curricula for working with families to support
families in promoting health and cognitive and social-emotional development in young children. This section reviews some of the most
prevalent home visiting models designed for high risk or at risk families whose children may later experience delays in these areas. It also
provides research and information about the benefits of home visiting programs. Additional information on
family-centered principles and practices is also available on our Web
site.
Models and Approaches to Home Visiting
Early Head Start
With the reauthorization of the Head Start program in 1994, Congress established a new program for
low-income families with infants and toddlers and pregnant women called Early Head Start (EHS).
The mission of Early Head Start is to promote healthy prenatal outcomes, enhance the development of infants and toddlers,
and promote healthy family functioning. The website contains excellent training guides designed for home visitors,
including:
(1) Preventing Family crisis;
(2) Addressing Family Crisis;
(3) Responding to Crisis; and
(4) Dealing with Potential Dangerous Situations.
Healthy Families America
This national program model is designed to help expectant and new parents get their children off to a
healthy start. The goals are to: (1) promote positive parenting; (2) enhance child health and
development; and (3) prevent child abuse and neglect. The focus is on helping parents "feel good
about themselves and have confidence so that they see they have what it takes to raise their baby."
Healthy Start
This federally funded program offers models for the reduction of infant mortality, low
birth-weight and racial disparities in perinatal outcomes. It focuses on the importance of
community-based approaches to solving these problems and the need to develop comprehensive,
holistic interventions that include health, social and economic services.
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
This parent involvement, school readiness program is designed to help parents prepare their three,
four, and five year old children for success in school and beyond. Parents are provided
with carefully developed curriculum, books and materials designed to promote
their children's cognitive skills, early literacy skills, social/emotional and physical development.
Nurse-Family Partnership
This evidence-based nurse home visitation program is designed to improve the health, well-being and
self-sufficiency of low-income, first-time parents and their children. Projected outcomes for
participating communities are: (1) mothers will have healthier pregnancies;
(2) child health and development will be improved; and (3) mothers will
become more self-sufficient.
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
The
PAT program provides information, support and encouragement
parents need to help their children develop optimally during the crucial early years of life. PAT works through a strong network of
state leaders and partners in all 50 states.
Parent-Child Home Program
The Parent-Child Home Program is a research-based, research-validated early childhood literacy and
school readiness program that is meant to strengthen families and prepare children for academic
success through intensive home visiting. It emphasizes the importance of quality parent-child
verbal interaction to promote cognitive and social-emotional development.
Curricula or Materials for Family Visits
Benefits of Home Visiting Programs
The Case for Home Visiting: Strong Families Start with
a Solid Foundation Full Report (May 2010) (PDF: 154kb) ,
Summary Report
State-based Home Visiting - Strengthening Programs Through State Leadership
A report prepared by the National Center for Children in Poverty to help inform the field about two central questions related to home
visiting programs. Are states investing in home visiting in ways to improve child outcomes and do they meet the needs of those facing
the greatest social and developmental risks. (March 2009)
The Benefits and Financing of Home Visiting Programs
This issue brief from the NGA Center for Best Practices describes some of the long term benefits of home visiting programs, including
reduced costs due to foster care placements, hospitalizations and emergency room visits, unintended pregnancies, and other interventions.
It also discusses federal funding streams are available to support home visiting, including: Medicaid, the State Children's Health
Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (Title V), and Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families (TANF).
Links on this site are verified monthly. This page content was last updated on 01/20/2012 CF.
