Our Continuum of Services
The continuum of services within the HFA model allows you to serve families of varying degrees of need within your community.
Side-by-side comparison
The Signature HFA Model provides affiliates the flexibility to bring HFA services to families effectively.
HFA Accelerated Protocols
Referral Source: Anywhere
Initial Outreach: Prenatally and up to 2 weeks
First Home Visit: Prenatally and up to 3 months of age
Service Length: Depends on needs of family & HFA Level Change criteria
Signature HFA Model
Referral Source: Anywhere
Initial Outreach: Prenatally and up to 2 weeks
First Home Visit: Prenatally and up to 3 months of age
Service Length: 3+ years
HFA Child Welfare Protocols
Referral Source: Child Welfare
Initial Outreach: Before 24 months of age
First Home Visit: Before 24 months of age
Service Length: 3+ years
I feel that Healthy Families is such a successful model because everyone is included.
Frequently Asked Questions
For Accelerated: Nothing! Existing HFA sites can start using HFA Accelerated Protocols at any time.
For the Child Welfare Protocols: You need to fill out an implementation plan addendum to address the requirements of the Child Welfare Protocols specifically. Contact your Training and TA Specialist for more info.
Studies have shown that HFA helps parents and children by improving child health, promoting parent-child interaction, increasing school readiness, and strengthening family self-sufficiency. Studies have also shown reduction of child maltreatment among high-risk families enrolled in the program. In a randomized control study from Healthy Families New York (HFNY), it was found that for mothers with prior CPS reports, HFNY reduced the rate of confirmed neglect by 33% and the rate of confirmed abuse by 77%, including an 88% reduction in the average number of acts of very serious physical abuse by the age of one.
To ensure HFA sites receive tailored support, HFA has specialized protocols for working with families referred from child welfare.
Explore detailed information about HFA’s impact on child abuse and neglect.
While HFA works with all families, the program best serves those who are high-risk and overburdened, including those who have been involved in the child welfare system. Child welfare providers who work on the front lines each day recognize the value in connecting high-risk families to intensive home visiting services like HFA. The HFA model supports this work with detailed protocols for working with families who are referred to HFA from the child welfare system. The HFA model offers support services for a minimum of three years regardless of the age of the child at intake, and was designed to serve children through age five, allowing families referred from child welfare to enroll in the program up until the child reaches 24 months of age.
HFA sites are always doing creative and incredible things to help families in their communities.
Depression prevention is a great example. Some communities have licensed clinicians providing evidence-based in-home cognitive behavioral therapy like Moving Beyond Depression. In communities without these resources available, or where there may be challenges in connecting families to these services, there are two proven resources to prevent depression that can be administered by HFA home visitors. One is Mothers and Babies, led by Dr. Darius Tandon, Northwestern University, and another is the ROSE Program (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for mothers of newborns).
Contact us to learn more about how the flexibility of the HFA model can allow you to maximize your impact with families in your community!