1. Healthy Families Virginia FSW Stop-Gap Training
Markella Maschas, Coordinator of Training and Parent Education for HFV

2. HFA Five Guideposts Strength based Family centered partnerships
Relationship based interactions
Culturally sensitive practice
Integrated parallel process
Describe each one:
Strength based- build upon families strengths, do not ignore concerns but addresses them honestly using the families strengths
Family centered partnerships- the family defines who the family is, home visitor must ask. Varies for each family. Provide services/information/education to everyone caring for baby.
Relationship based interaction- the relationship between the home visitor and family is the primary vehicle for change. Strengthening the relationship allows opportunity for growth and change in family.
Culturally sensitive practice- must ask family about traditions, culture, values. Start from the beginning of home visiting. Use family values cards to start conversation.
Integrated parallel process- the relationship you have with parents reflects on their relationships with their own children. Honest, nurturing, kind, compassionate.

3. Cultivate and strengthen nurturing parent-child relationships
HFA Program Goals
Cultivate and strengthen nurturing parent-child relationships
Promote healthy childhood growth and development
Enhance family functioning by reducing risk and building protective factors
Brainstorm what home visitors do to promote these goals.

4. Infant Mental Health Approach
Dyadic Work
Fun and Joy
Feeling special to your baby and vice versa
Focus on experience rather than right or wrong
Focus on how the present impacts the future
Dyadic work- one on one
Promote fun and joy during visits- parents from trauma often don’t have experiences of fun and joy
Talk to parents repeatedly about how their daily interactions and relationships with their children affect their future. What they do currently affects their future.

5. HFA Eligibility: Designed for Overburdened Families
Positive Screen & Positive Assessment (parent survey)
Look at risk /stress factors associated with maltreatment
Look for strengths to build upon
Referrals for all families
Positive screen = 1,9,12 are true or any two questions are true or 7 or more unknowns
Positive assessment= a score of 25 or higher for either participants
Some risk factors: hx of child abuse and neglect; current or past substance abuse or mental health, punishment for discipline of children, violent behavior between parents or others; poor coping or support systems, many stresses: financial, housing,

6. Overview of the 12 Critical Elements (CE)
Service Initiation (CE 1-3)
Linking, assessing and reaching out to families
Service Content (CE 4-8)
What happens during a home visit
Staff Characteristics (9-12)
Hiring, training & supervising staff
Healthy Families is built on 12 research-based critical elements that can be broken down into 3 categories.
I’m introducing these now because they are the foundation for your program.
They are also the standards against which your program will be evaluated during accreditation.
HOMEWORK: review standards 5,6,7,8,11

7. What is a Home Visit?
A face-to-face interaction focused on program goals
Occurs in the home when possible
Lasts approximately an hour and the child is present

8. What Do I Do On A Home Visit?
Address parent survey topics
Parent-child activity
Assess and promote parent-child interactions
Identify strengths and needs of family
Facilitate family goal plan
Promote child development
Provide health and safety information
Developmental screens & follow-up

9. Protective Factors to Strengthen in Families
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development Parental Resilience (Family Functioning) Social Connections/Support Concrete Support for Parents Social and Emotional Competence of Children/Nurturing and Attachment
Review each one and discuss the home visitor’s role in strengthening each. What are they currently doing?
Discuss how to determine which one parent’s need more of, use of assessment and other HFV evaluation tools. Build goals to increase those that need strengthening.

10. Promotion of Healthy Childhood Growth and Development
Developmental screens
Health Care Provider
Encourage well baby checks
Track immunizations
Referral and linkages
Curriculum
Milestones
Health, safety, nutrition

11. Enhancement of Family Functioning
Trust-building and relationship development Support family well-being and improved self-sufficiency Family goals & problem solving skills Stress management, coping & self-care

12. Enhancement of Family Functioning
Home management & life skills Linkage to appropriate community resources Reduction of self-defeating behaviors Reduction of social isolation

13. The First Several Home Visits
Build the relationship
Listen and show interest
Express empathy and support for the parents/family

14. The First Several Home Visits
Focus on the health, safety, and care of the baby Start learning about the family’s value and culture Begin to establish boundaries of your relationship with the family Invite the father to be present during the home visit

15. HFA 6 Reflective Strategies
Accentuate the Positive
Strategic Accentuate the Positive
Explore and Wonder
Feel, Felt, Found
Normalizing
Problem Talk
Review each- pass out handout.

16. C= cues H= holding E= empathy E= expression R= reciprocity S=smiles
CHEERS
C= cues
H= holding
E= empathy
E= expression
R= reciprocity
S=smiles
Review each, pass out handout. Stress 3 F’s= frequency, facts, flavor for each letter

17. Documentation Contact Log Home Visiting Record Referrals Immunizations
Goal Plans
ASQ’s
Evaluation Tools

18. Documentation Home Visit Record Status of home, child
Parent-child activity
Curriculum used
Parent-Child interactions/CHEERS*
Child development information
Health and Safety information
Parent survey topics
Referrals
Goal Planning Status
Discuss documentation components that are found on the home visiting log.

19. Training Requirements
Orientation
Core
Within 3 months of hire
Within 6 months of hire
Within 12 months of hire
Continuing/On-going
Orientation topics- boundaries, confidentiality, community resources, multisite information
3,6,12 month trainings- online at the TLC
Core training
CPS- annual plus what the staff training needs are

20. Weekly Scheduled Supervision
Administrative
Clinical
Reflective
1.5 to 2 hours a week with your supervisor. To cover topics that are administrative (reports, data, documentation), clinical (resources for families, problem solving), reflective ( how does this work affect you?, how does it affect the child/parent, what do you need to grow professionally in this field).
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21. Questions