A question often raised, “What
happens during a home visit,
and what is the role of a Home
Visitor?”
Home visiting has evolved over
the years with increased focus
on family support and getting
children off to a good and
healthy start. Research have
shown that family support pro-
grams such as this has signifi-
cant return on investment and
ultimately save money for tax-
payers. A number of studies also indicate that home
visiting is effective in the following areas:
Reduction in health care costs
Reduction in need for remedial education
Increased family self-sufficiency
During a home visit, which can occur weekly or twice a month, families receive support, educational infor-mation, child development screenings, and referrals. Families often build strong relationships with their Home Visitor and agency. In short, Home Visitors provide direct services to at-risk families and play an important role in the success of achieving their goals. This issue looks at evidence based home visiting models; impacts, outcomes, and ways in which home visitors assist families. Each of our collaborative agencies: Easter Seals, La Voz Latina, City of Rockford Head Start, and Rockford Public Schools #205 Early Childhood Program utilize different models to support their program and clients. The Impact of Home Visiting has positive and significant effects, not only on families, but in our community.
“This program has
helped us in many ways.
For example; education
and support, especially
when I was pregnant.
I had many questions and
concerns. I was scared during my preg-
nancy and even now.
I also learned many things I didn’t know
such as labor and delivery and how to
breastfeed to be able to bond with my
son. This experience has made our fam-
ily stronger and more knowledgeable.
We are now married and have recently
purchased our first home. We both have
full time jobs and are looking forward to
finishing our college”.
THE IMPACT of HOME VISITING
April 2014
iGROW Rockford
A local Home Visiting
Collaborative of the Maternal Infant Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program
(MIECHVP)
IMPACTING FAMILIES
Purpose of the iGrow
Newsletter:
To keep clients informed about our
community’s Home Visiting Program
To increase communication and
awareness with community agencies,
stakeholders, and the community-at-
large
To provide a venue for information-
sharing between home visitors, fami-
lies, clients, advocates, and friends of
iGrow.
Marissa, Julian, and baby
Julian Sammuel Perez
Home Visiting Clients of LaVoz Latina
Inside this issue:
Evidence base home
visiting models
2
Agency Profile
Rkfd Public Schools #205
Early Childhood Program
3
Meet a Home Visitor 3
Partner Agency
Contacts
4
Home Visiting Summary 4
tant, influential relationship 2)
high quality services 3) cultural
competence that acknowledges
the role culture plays in early
development 4) transition plan-
ning, and 5) collaboration with
partnerships.
Eligibility Criteria-City of
Rockford Early Head Start
-Pregnant
-Children ages 0-3
Early Head Start (EHS) is one of the
longest running home visiting models
aimed at enhancing development of
infants, toddlers, and families, while
promoting healthy prenatal outcomes
for low-income pregnant women.
A few program concepts Head start
was founded on are as follows: 1)
positive relationship and continuity
with emphasis on the role of the par-
ent as the child’s first and most impor-
-Meet income guidelines
-Reside in Winnebago County
Healthy Families America - La Voz Latina and Easter Seals
Early Head Start - City of Rockford Head Start
and in life. PAT uses four in-
depth components: 1) personal
visits 2) group connections 3)
screenings, and 4) resource net-
works to work with at-risk fami-
lies. The following values serve
to strengthen the program:
-Parents are the child’s first and
most influential teachers,
-All young children and families
deserve the same opportunities to
succeed regardless of any demo-
graphic, geographic, or economic
considerations.
-Appreciation of the history and
traditions of diverse cultures is
essential in serving families.
Eligibility Criteria-RPS #205
-Pregnant women
-Children 0-3
-Must reside in the Rockford
School District area
-Families with highest needs are
priority-served
Parents As Teachers - RPS #205 Early Childhood Program
Parents as Teachers (PAT) was devel-
oped in the 1970’s. This model’s phi-
losophy is that the early years of a
child’s life are critical for optimal
development and in providing the
foundation for success in school
Healthy Families America (HFA) was
created over 20 years ago and is a
nationally recognized model. This
model primarily works with families
who may have histories of trauma,
intimate partner violence, mental
health and /or substance abuse issues.
Preventing child abuse and neglect is
complex because of many different
risk factors that interact with family
and community strengths. HFA pre-
vents child abuse and neglect by help-
ing families build protective factors
that reduce risks by:
*Promoting healthy parent-child in-
teraction and attachment.
*Increasing knowledge of child
community health.
Eligibility Criteria-Easter
Seals:
-1st time teen parent
-19 years old or under
-Pregnant or
-Parenting a child under 3
months and resides in Winne-
bago County
Eligibility Criteria-La Voz
Latina
-1st time teen parent or preg-
nant, or
-baby up to 30 days old
-19 years old or under &
identify self /father as
Hispanic/Latina
A Home Visiting program uses trained home visitors to provide direct services in the home to pregnant women or children from birth to age five.
Services are free and voluntary.
Home visitors receive background checks as well as extensive training in child development.
Home Visitors share information about parent-child interactions, and they model activities to stimulate attachment and development.
There are more than 300 home visiting programs in Illinois.
Research shows that home visiting programs work and ultimately save money for taxpayers. Effectiveness includes reduced health care costs, reduced need for remedial education and increased family self-sufficiency.
IMPACTING THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED
HOME VISITING MODELS
Page 2
development and appropriate
expectations of children.
*Improving use of preventive
health care.
*Reducing social isolation;
*Providing access to commu-
nity resources for families.
HFA has the potential to
achieve community-wide bene-
fits, including intermediate sys-
tem change, cost savings, and
long-term impacts on
Rockford Public Schools’ Early Childhood Program has provided ser-
vices to children in our community for over 25 years. Through the vi-
sionary leadership of school district administration, the Rockford Pub-
lic School District has placed a stake in the ground, expanding early
childhood programming despite funding cuts at the state level and
working to further community partnerships to provide additional of-
ferings throughout the city. Currently serving over 2,800 children and families, the Early Childhood Depart-
ment provides a variety of programs to support the growth and development of your child and family. Con-
tinue reading to further explore the opportunities that await your family with the Rockford Public Schools
Early Childhood Program.
Our Birth to Three Home Visiting program, provides in-home services to at-risk children and families, includ-
ing expectant mothers. Services provided through this program include home visits, developmental, hearing,
and vision screenings, just to name a few. During a home visit, families participate in parent child interaction
activities, learn about their child’s development, and are connected to a variety of community resources. For
more information on these programs, please call (815) 967-8030.
Our Early Childhood Education Program offers preschool programming to children residing within District 205
boundaries who are between the ages of 3-5. To enroll, children must be 3-years-old on or before September
1. Our preschool program offers hands-on, child-centered learning experiences with a focus on social emo-
tional development. Preschool classes are held at a variety of convenient locations throughout the city of
Rockford. Classes run Monday through Friday for 2 hours 45 minutes. All students are provided with a free
developmental screening prior to placement, and additional classroom offerings are available, such as bilin-
gual and special education. For more information, please contact the Early Childhood Screening and Place-
ment Department at (815) 229-2103.
babies quite a lot. I feel happy
when I am able to identify a
family with needs, and I am able
to connect them with the re-
sources available in the commu-
nity. I love to see when a parent
becomes involved with their
child. For example if there is a
specific area of concern, like
speech. While I am visiting with
the parent and they become
aware of the delay and the differ-
ence they can make with daily
interaction with their child, I
get very excited. I can see that
Meet Carolina Rodri-
guez who has been with
the Rockford Public
Schools since August
14, 2013.
Carolina has had a busy year attending
trainings and working with families. She
has done a tremendous job in learning
about the requirements for the home visit-
ing program and has developed wonderful
relationships with each of her families.
When asked what she likes most about
home visiting, Carolina responds, “I enjoy
something clicks with the parent,
so they become more intentional
about their play. Many times, I’ve
watched the parent see that the
time spent with their child does
make a difference, and they con-
tinue on the path of positive
parent-child interaction. It feels
good when a parent sees that I
am there for them, that I am
reliable, and I am sometimes the
only positive thing in their life.
After they learn to trust me, they
will reach out more, and the
relationship gets stronger.”
Rockford Public Schools District #205 Early Childhood Education Program
Meet Home Visitor — Carolina Rodriquez
Partner Agency Profile Page 3
“I love to see when a
parent becomes
involved with their
child” - Carolina Rodriquez
IMPACTING LIVES
-Evidence based
Research
Evidence of effectiveness
-Over-arching purpose
Improve family functioning
Encourage healthy growth and
Development
-Common Characteristics
Voluntary
Relationship based
Weekly or bi-weekly visits
Child development curriculum
-Client-centered and strength-based
-Parent-child interaction (including
prenatal bonding)
-Parenting instruction
-Preventative screenings
Developmental delay
Hearing/Vision
Domestic Violence
Maternal depression
-Referrals to health care
-Healthy Families America (HFA)
Improve parent-child relationships
Reduce risk for child maltreatment
-Parents as Teachers (PAT)
Support parents as child’s first
teacher
Improve parent-child interaction
-Early Head Start (EHS)
Promote healthy prenatal outcomes
for pregnant women
Enhance the development of very
young children
This program was made possible by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 which authorizes
the creation of the Maternal Infant Early Childhood Education Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. Winne-
bago County Health Department serves as the lead agency. The program is carried out in conjunction with
four Rockford home visiting partnering agencies (listed below), in addition to the Governor’s Office of
Early Childhood Development, IL Department of Human Services, and the State of Illinois.
Page 4
Winnebago County Health Department 555 North Court Street Rockford, IL 61103 Phone: 815-720-4000
If you would like more information
about iGROW, would like to be re-
ferred, or be placed on our newsletter
mailing list, please contact iGrow
Coordinated Intake at:
815-720-4000 or [email protected]
Newsletter Editors:
C.Boyd, WCHD –CSD
D.Richter, WCHD –CI
Contributors to this edition:
K. Rousch, La Voz Latina
K. Nelson, RPS District #205
J. Male, RPS District #205
Source: Pew Home Visiting Campaign Homvee.acf.hhs.gov Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development
Let us know if you have information you would like featured in iGrow. Send us your photos, stories, comments, or feedback.
The iGrow Newsletter is published quarterly.
Rockford Home Visiting - Partner Agency Contacts:
Easter Seals
Metropolitan Chicago– Rockford Region
815-965-5069 x 233
Early Head Start Program
815-987-5480
Early Childhood Program
815-967-8030
La Voz Latina
815-965-5784
Illinois MIECHV webpage:
www2.illinois.gov/oecd
Evidence based Home Visiting Home Visiting Activities Program Models– Specific Outcomes