Healthy Families Illinois at VNA Healthcare

Healthy Families America is a national model of evidence-based child abuse prevention program.
The program at VNA is one of the first of such programs in the state of Illinois, in operation since 1994.
Healthy Families is a voluntary intensive home-visitation program for at risk first time moms in Southern Kane County.
The moms who participate in the program have been referred to us and identified as at-risk for child abuse and neglect because of a combination of stressors.
The program is limited to first time moms, and most are referred to us before their baby is born.
These moms are often struggling financially, managing difficult or even violent relationships and coping with other challenges such as mental health issues or substance abuse problems.
Some are as young as 13 and most are isolated socially, with few positive role models for their parenting.
Through the Healthy Families program they receive weekly home visits from a trained Family Support Worker, providing them with community resources, child development information and the support they need to get off to a good start in parenting.
The program begins working with families before the baby reaches 2 weeks of age, and continues visiting families in their home until the child turns three years old.
During this time, families develop trusting relationships with their Family Support Worker, a relationship that helps foster a caring and nurturing relationship between the parents and their baby.
Studies have shown that mothers receiving home visitation are more likely to deliver healthy babies, and their children are less likely to become involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.