Healthy Families America (HFA) helps families address challenges like single parenthood, low income, mental health issues, substance abuse or child or spousal abuse by building on strengths (and not focusing on weaknesses). The Family Resource Specialist (FRS) is responsible for completing the Parent Survey (PS) with parents (prenatally and/or immediately after the birth of their child) to determine eligibility for home visitation services and to connect the family with needed resources and referrals.

Healthy Families America (HFA) helps families address challenges like single parenthood, low income, mental health issues, substance abuse or child or spousal abuse by building on strengths (and not focusing on weaknesses). The Family Resource Specialist (FRS) is responsible for completing the Parent Survey (PS) with parents (prenatally and/or immediately after the birth of their child) to determine eligibility for home visitation services and to connect the family with needed resources and referrals. The FRS will use reflective practice techniques in order to engage parents and explain the home visiting services to interested parents. The FRS must have good writing skills in order to complete the PS. If the family does not enter the program, the FRS will make referrals to the appropriate community-based agencies, depending on the family’s needs. The visits start prenatally, or within the first three months after a child’s birth and can continue through the first three to five years of life. The Family Support Specialist (FSS) is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to five years) contact/support with families. The FSS will provide HFA home visits and at the onset of services is responsible for completing the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale with parents (prenatally and/ or immediately after the birth of their child) to determine risk and resiliency factors. These activities will occur primarily within the family’s home; each visit should last for at least one hour. The interventions should be family-centered, strength-based, and directed at: establishing a trusting relationship; assisting in strengthening the parent-child relationship; assisting parents in improving their skills to optimize the home environment; improving the family support system; and increasing the family’s ability to problem solve and assume the role of advocate for themselves and their children. The activities may also include identifying and referring for contact/appointments at other supportive agencies, including health care appointments. The FSS will also be responsible for assisting the family in establishing goals and a plan for accomplishment of those goals, as well as the assessment of the normal growth and development of the focus child.