Hawaii's Healthy Start(HHS) program began as a demonstration child abuse prevention
project in July 1985. A nationally recognized program, HHS has been
replicated in the U.S., Canada, and the Phillipines. Starting at one location
on Oahu, a para-professional service model was developed to support at-risk
families with newborns through home visits. The program was expanded to a
statewide program in the fall of 2001 in order to identify and intervene
with eligible environmentally at-risk families, as part of the
expanded definition of special needs governed by Part C of the federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Healthy Start has two major components. The first is Early Identification (EID) for
statewide, universal population-based screening/assessment/referral. Eligible
families screened and assessed positive are offered home visiting services.
The second component, Home Visiting (HV) fosters family functioning, promotes
child health/development, and enhances positive parenting skills for families
engaged/retained in service in order to reduce the risk of child maltreatment
by addressing the malleable environmental risk factors via information, support,
and linkages to needed community resources. Those
accepting service from Healthy Start are referred and enrolled in home visiting.
Services are voluntary and intended to continue until the child reaches
three years of age (or five years of age, if there is a younger sibling).
Backed by extensive research and evaluation, HHS offers focused support services
within a family's natural environment to reduce the likelihood of child
maltreatment by reducing parental/environmental stressors, (including
establishment and utilization of a medical home), linkages with community
resources such as health and mental health services, early childhood education,
childcare, family literacy, employment, social services, developmental screening
and appropriate child development education/interventions, service coordination
and advocacy for families, and providing prarents with knowledge of child
development, child health, and positive parenting skills and problem-solving
techniques.
The Healthy Start Program contracts with the following providers:
• Catholic Charities Hawaii
• Child and Family Services - sites on Oahu and Kauai
• Family Support Services of West Hawaii
• Maui Family Support Services - sites on Maui, Molokai, Lanai
• Parents and Child Together
• The Institute for Family Enrichment - training & technical assistance
• YWCA of Hawaii Island
• John Hopkins University - evaluation services
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