Minnesota Department of Health Home Visiting Program to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

Also referred to as:

  • Home Visitor Grant
  • Targeted Home Visiting Program
  • PPCAN program

Purpose

  • Prevent child abuse and neglect

Goals

  • Reduce juvenile delinquency
  • Promote positive parenting
  • Resiliency in children

Eligibility

  • teen parents
  • history of alcohol and drug use
  • history of child or domestic abuse in family of origin
  • reduced cognitive functioning
  • that lack of knowledge of child growth and development
  • lack financial resources to meet their needs

Components

  • Enhance current home visiting activities
  • Services begin during pregnancy and continue through age 5
  • Collaborate and link with other agencies
  • Coordinate activities with other home visiting programs

Program results through March, 2001

  • Approximately 3,000 MN families identified
  • 2,152 adults enrolled
  • 1,412 high risk families
  • 909 families exited

Families more likely to meet goals:

  • Stayed in the program > 12 mos.
  • Received more staff contact 22+ hours
  • Linked to additional services

AAPI from 364 families:

  • 42% of those families increased their knowledge in the area of child growth and development

Lessons Learned

  • initiate services early - during pregnancy if possible
  • visit frequently for more than one year
  • establish and develop trusting relationship with the family
  • connect families with appropriate resources in the community
  • The rate of substantiated cases of child maltreatment was 7% among enrolled families.