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Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

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The Program

Healthy Families America (HFA) is a nationally recognized

evidence-based home visiting program model designed to work

with overburdened families who are at-risk for adverse

childhood experiences. The model is equipped to work with

families who may have a history of:

• Trauma

• Intimate partner violence

• Mental health and/or substance abuse issues

(Prevent Child Abuse,

2014)

Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

The Model

With three decades of research, the model is proven to be

effective with families. Twelve critical elements were developed:

• Services are voluntary and initiated prenatally or at birth and go to

age 3

• Standardized assessment tool identifies families most in need

• The program is culturally competent; supports parents, parent-child

interactions, and child development; links families to medical

providers and/or additional services and extensively trains home

visiting nurses

(Prevent Child Abuse,

2001)

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

Change the 1st Five Years and You Change Everything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbSp88PBe9E

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

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.

(Prevent Child Abuse, 2014)

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

Family Outcomes

Home visiting promotes optimal long-term mental and physical

health of parents and their children.

• 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

• Increased immunization rates

(Prevent Child Abuse, 2014)

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

Mille Lacs County Statistics

Currently Enrolled: 32 families

9 are teens

Teen Pregnancy Rates: 2011 – 52.6% for MLC

29.9% for MN

Child Neglect and Abuse: 2010 – 5.1 rate per 1,000 for MLC

3.5 rate per 1,000 for MN

HFA Nurses: (2) full-time home visiting nurses

(1) full-time trained nurse but seeing TANF families 

Accreditation: site visit is July 20th and 21st

(MN Department of Health, 2011 and MN Kids Count Data Center,

2010)

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

Your Role

To share your opinion, perspective, and recommendations to

foster the growth and goals of the Health Families America

program and quarterly meetings.

To refer at-risk families to Laura Roberts, PHN at Mille Lacs

County’s Healthy Families America Home Visiting Program.

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Thank Youfor your participation!

+Mille Lacs County Healthy Families AmericaAdvisory Board

References

Minnesota Department of Health Center for Health Statistics. (2011). Mille lacs county teen pregnancy

rate per 1,000 females 15-19. St. Paul, MN.

Minnesota Kids Count Data Center. (2012). Mille lacs county fact sheet.

Prevent Child Abuse America. (2001). Critical elements rationale. Retrieved from

www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/.../critical_elements_rationale.pdf

Prevent Child Abuse America (2014). Healthy families america overview. Retrieved from

http://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/about_us/