Friday, July 8, 2011

Healthy Families America Chosen by 33 states for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Chicago, IL (July 8, 2011) - Prevent Child Abuse America is pleased that Healthy Families Amercica, Prevent Child Abuse America’s signature, evidence-based home visiting program has been chosen by a total of 33 states and all five US Territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, America Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) as one, if not their only model, to fund with federals dollars via the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, a component of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“We couldn’t be more excited, or humbled, to learn about the interest in Healthy Families America,” said James M. Hmurovich, President & CEO, Prevent Child Abuse America, “but we also believe that what’s truly important is that home visiting is available to all children and their families. This is about the future of this country and ensuring that all children have an equal opportunity for healthy growth and development.”

Healthy Families America is an evidence-based, nationally recognized home visiting program model designed to work with overburdened families who are at-risk for adverse childhood experiences, including child maltreatment. 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 America services begin prenatally, or right after the birth of a baby, and are offered voluntarily, intensively and over the long-term, three to five years after the birth of the baby.

“This news represents the strength of this community-based partnership between parents, providers and the places they live,” added Hmurovich, “and to further the reach and impact of a program such as Healthy Families America is not just an accomplishment for Prevent Child Abuse America, but the right thing to do.”

Prevent Child Abuse America would also like to take a moment to recognize the hard work of the Healthy Families America staff, Cydney M. Wessel, National Director of Healthy Families America; Phyllis Medrano, Healthy Families America Network Coordinator; Lisa Sutter, National Director of Training; and Kate Whitaker, Kathleen Strader and Lynn Kosanovich, Regional Directors for the West-Southeast, Central and Northeast respectively, because without them this level of interest and support for the program would not be possible.

“Ultimately, we know that the success of evidence based models like Healthy Families America are enhanced by the commitment and skills of the staff that administer it, train on it and develop the implementation strategies that allow it to expand its presence in communities across the nation,” said Hmurovich.


ABOUT PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AMERICA

Prevent Child Abuse America, founded in 1972, works to ensure the healthy development of children nationwide while recognizing that child development is a building block for community development and economic development. We believe that communities across the country are doing innovative things with great results to prevent abuse and neglect from ever occurring, and what we need to do as a nation is commit to bringing this kind of ingenuity to communities everywhere. Based in Chicago, Prevent Child Abuse America has chapters in 47 states and 387 Healthy Families America sites in 36 states.

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