Increasing Access to Healthcare Through the Healthy Family Connections Program
Grant Status: Completed
Training Category: Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program (HTPCP)
Project Director(s):
Kristina Brown
Child Abuse Prevention Association
Independence, MO
Phone: (816) 252-8388
Email: Kbrown@childabuseprevention.org
Problem:
CAPA's Healthy Family Connections Program is a comprehensive program to connect children and families with mental health, physical health, and dental care and the resources needed to help stabilize and strengthen families, as well as provide families with parenting education and support.
Goals and Objectives:
Goal 1: Underserved families are in good physical and mental health. Objective 1: 85 percent of families who participate in Healthy Family Connections, who don't currently have a "health care home" establish a preventive health care routine through licensed health care providers. Objective 2: 85 percent of children who participate in Healthy Family Connections have up-to-date immunizations. Objective 3: 75 percent of individuals in counseling services report more an increase of healthy functioning as supported by Outcome Questionnaire score. Goal 2: Children ages 0-3 years of age from underserved families develop on track cognitively and socio-emotionally. Objective 1: 95 percent of parents who participate in Healthy Family Connections increase understanding of child development. Objective 2: 95 percent of parents who participate in Health Family Connections engage in appropriate play with their child(ren) on a regular basis. Goal 3: Enhance current prevention health care systems to respond to the needs of underserved populations in Jackson County, Missouri. Objective 1: Yr.1: 3/1/13-2/28/14, 5 health providers in Jackson Co.Mo. increase knowledge of barriers preventing families from seeking health care. Yr.2-5: 3/1/14 - 2/28/18, 5 health care providers in Jackson Co.Mo. increase knowledge of barriers preventing families from seeking health care. Objective 2: Yr.1: 3/1/13-2/28/14, 50 parents from underserved populations attend activities designed to inform them of preventative services available. Yr.2-5: 3/1/14 - 2/28/18, 800 parents from underserved populations attend activities designed to inform them of preventative services available. Objective 3: 95 percent of uninsured parents who participate in Healthy Family Connections receive referral to health care coverage or medical home.
Methodology:
Goal I: a. Families will be identified through community referral sources (Family Support Supervisor, Bi-lingual staff); b. Make contact with referred family to begin services (Bi-lingual staff); c. Establish a visitation schedule with the family (Bi-lingual staff); d. Complete FAP and PFS with family (Bi-lingual); e. Families receive support to address risk factors and child medical needs (Bi-lingual). Goal II: (same as goal I) plus: f. Complete Family Action Plan and Protective Factors Survey with family (Bi-lingual); g. Families receive educational activities to model appropriate play activities with their children (Bi-lingual). Goal III: a. A pre-test and post-test will be conducted with licensed care providers concerning the barriers of families to access preventative health care; b. A pre-test and post-test will be conducted with licensed care providers concerning the barriers of families to access preventative health care; c. The Advisory Board will identify effective awareness campaigns for underserved populations; d. Staff will select appropriate time, place, and collaborators for selected awareness event; e. Staff will develop appropriate awareness materials for event; f. Staff will market and execute event; g. Staff will maintain a sign in sheet at awareness event; h. Advisory Board and staff review strengths and area of improvements for initiatives. Repeat Activities of Goal I & II with new people recruited from Goal III.
Coordination:
Child Abuse Preventions Association's strong referral base ensures linkage to high-risk families in Jackson County. CAPA maintains partnerships with the Children's Division, police departments, prosecutor's offices, child advocacy centers, health departments, domestic violence shelters, community mental health, hospitals and physicians. CAPA workers will report to the Department of Health and Senior Services and the AAP quarterly.
Evaluation:
The Protective Factor Survey (PFS) is utilized and measures protective factors in five areas: family functioning/resiliency, social support, concrete support, nurturing and attachment, and knowledge of parenting/child development. Families participating in the Healthy Family Connections Program will also report visits to their pediatricians, primary care physicians, and dental care providers every quarter to assess for the development of a preventative healthcare routine.
Experience to Date:
Through CAPA's official partnership with Children's Mercy Hospital and membership in the Promise 1000 Home Visiting Collaborative, the Healthy Family Connections program has been able to strengthen the connection between preventative services and the medical home for most of the families served through HFC. As a member of the collaborative, HFC has also been collecting new data on well child medical appointments and immunizations. HFC homevisiting staff have now begun accompanying families at well child appointments and making direct contact with the participating families' pediatricians and primary care physicians.