Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2-2005
Abstract
Modeled after the national Healthy Families America (HFA) initiative, Healthy Families New York (HFNY) is a community-based prevention program that seeks to improve the health and well-being of children at risk for abuse and neglect through the provision of home visitation services. HFNY was established in 1995 by the former New York State Department of Social Services, part of which merged with the former Division for Youth in January 1998 to create a new agency devoted to serving children and families—the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The HFNY program is currently active in 28 New York State communities and has four major goals: 1) to prevent child abuse and neglect; 2) to enhance positive parent-child interactions; 3) to promote optimal child health and development; and 4) to increase parents’ self-sufficiency. To document the ability of the HFNY program to effect change within each of these core areas, OCFS, in collaboration with the Center for Human Services Research (CHSR) at the University at Albany, embarked on a three-year evaluation study utilizing a randomized experimental design in three counties with established home visitation programs (Erie, Rensselaer, and Ulster). The current report presents the results of the first year of this evaluation study, and examines the extent to which the HFNY program positively affected parenting (including self and official reports of child abuse and neglect), child health and development, and parents’ life course development at the time of the targeted child’s first birthday.
Recommended Citation
Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany, "Evaluation Findings of the Healthy Families New York (HFNY): First Year Program Impacts" (2005). Children, Family & Elder Services Reports and Research Briefs. 5.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/chsr-cfes-reports-and-briefs/5
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