OUR PROGRAMS
Home Visiting in Illinois
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that home visiting programs are very good at reducing child abuse and neglect, especially with high-risk families. Home visiting offers family support and education through planned, regular visits with a home visitor based on a family’s needs and schedules. Home visiting is a voluntary program, and home visitors work with parents on parenting skills as well as family bonding before birth and as children grow up.
Illinois has a very strong and supportive statewide home visiting system that uses evidence-based models that focus on improving the lives of expectant and new families in Illinois. These programs provide important services to families who are at risk for poor health, educational, economic, and social outcomes.
In Illinois, home visiting is supported, in part by the following state and federal funding streams:
-
HRSA Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program – Federal
-
Illinois Department of Human Services Healthy Families Illinois and Parents Too Soon – General Revenue Funds
-
Illinois State Board of Education Prevention Initiative – Early Childhood Block Grant, General Revenue Funds
-
Illinois Head Start Association – Federal to Local Funding
Illinois utilizes an array of home visiting models throughout the state, including:
-
Healthy Families Illinois (Healthy Families America)
-
And others (there are many programs across Illinois that include a component of home visiting to support the families they serve)
The Healthy Families Illinois initiative is a part of the Healthy Families America program. Prevent Child Abuse Illinois has provided leadership for the development of Healthy Families Illinois since 1994. This program of voluntary home visits for parents of newborns and young children, works with parents and gives them the tools and support they need to raise and nurture their children. Currently, there are more than 50 Healthy Families sites in Illinois. Prevent Child Abuse Illinois has been active in supporting the statewide implementation strategy for Healthy Families Illinois, promoting the program, developing community interest, exploring funding options, providing home visitation trainings for professionals, and planning and hosting an annual recognition program.
Are you a parent or caregiver looking for more information on home visiting programs near you?
Are you an HFI site looking for program support?
Personal Wellness Tips: Self-knowledge is a key to happiness. The Four Tendencies personality framework offers insight into how we respond to expectations—from ourselves and others—so that we can more effectively achieve our aims. Take the "4 Tendencies Quiz" by Gretchen Rubin to find out your tendency to respond to external and internal expectations!
Take the quiz HERE.
Home Visiting News Highlight: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month! Check out our Community Packet for tons of information and resources.
