The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #61409

Maura Harrington, PhD, MBA, Director of Consulting Services, Lodestar Management Research Incorporated, 315 West Ninth Street, Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90015, Katrina Kubicek, MA, Research Associate, Lodestar Management/Research, Inc., 315 W. Ninth St. Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90015, and Antoinette Andrews, MA, Research Analyst, First 5 LA Commission, 333 S. Beaudry Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90017, 213-225-6434, aandrews@prop10.org.

Working with a multi-disciplinary research team, Lodestar Management/Research conducted a study of the landscape of home visitation services in Los Angeles County. Team members brought an array of experience with community, organizational and policy research as well as familiarity with advocacy and service provision in home visitation. Using a multi-faceted research design the team developed a set of recommendations for using home visitation as a strategy to deliver health and education services to families with children 0 to 5. Through data gathered by surveys, extensive structured and unstructured interviews, meta-analytic procedures and other methods, a set of best practices was identified for home visitation practitioners. Included in the presentation is a discussion of the pros and cons in implementing a recognized home visitation model, including issues of fidelity to the model. While successful outcomes demonstrated by some home visitation models have led some government entities to support these models, questions remain as to the comprehensiveness of services necessary to effectively serve certain clients populations. Also presented are findings that relate to the use of paraprofessional and professional home visitors. In addition, findings are used to discuss broader issues of policy and funding for home visitation as a strategic intervention to promote school readiness for families and children.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Identify the best practices in serving families with children 0 to 5 through home visitation.
• Recognize where they can best integrate the best proactices demonstrated in this presentation into their own home vistiation prorgam.
• Develop or redesign a culturally appropriate home visiation program that will best meet the needs of their target population.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment