Project Title: Georgia Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
Recipient Name: Department of Public Health
Recipient Address: 2 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta Georgia 30303-9009
Project Director: Twanna L Nelson
Phone Number: (404)-657-2465 Fax: (770)357-8720
Email Address: twanna.Nelson@dph.ga.gov Web Address: dph.georgia.gov
ANNOTATION: Georgia is committed to implementing high-quality evidence-based Maternal, Infant, and, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs in sixteen at-risk counties as an essential strategy for strengthening the system of care and improving the well-being of families. These comprehensive programs maintain high standards, quality service delivery with fidelity to the model, and continuous program quality improvement. The state has developed a comprehensive, community-based maternal and early childhood system that provides a universal approach to identifying expectant parents, children birth to five, and their families. The Formula funding allows Georgia to continue to strengthen the capacity for addressing the overall health, safety, and well-being of at-risk families and children throughout the state by utilizing evidence-based practices and strategies.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
# Goal Objective
1 Improve the well-being of children and families. Implement quality Evidence-Based Home (EBHV) visiting models
2 Promote program quality and effectiveness by providing training and TA to local implementing agencies (LIAs). Promote EBHV model service delivery with fidelity by all LIAs.
3 Utilize data to guide decision-making, improve coordination of services, and target services that assist LIAs in monitoring performance and continuous improvement. Capture, monitor, and analyze data to inform program goals and objectives.
4 Implement strategies that utilize fatherhood involvement as a cross-cutting strategy to improve family outcomes. Intentionally include fathers in programs, services, and interventions. Provide workforce development opportunities
5 Implement efforts to create health equity as a guiding priority and core value of the EBHV. Promote healthy equity through training and community collaboration.
METHODOLOGY: Funding supports the implementation of EBHV to target the needs of expectant parents, children birth to five, and their families in fourteen communities. Georgia’s current caseload of MIECHV family slots is 1311 for the period of FY22. The system functions include identification, referral, screening, parent education, and linkage to appropriate community services. The major service strategy for the system is EBHV, utilizing one or more of the following evidence-based models: Healthy Families Georgia, Parents as Teachers, and, Nurse Family Partnership. The implementation also includes the development of a cohesive plan to promote program quality and effectiveness, as well as a coordinated data system to guide decision-making, improve coordination of services, and assist counties in monitoring progress toward desired results and continuous quality improvement. The Georgia MIECHV program is also committed to being intentional about engaging fathers in home visiting services to ensure positive child and family outcomes. In addition to promoting equitable services through community partnerships and training on health equity and the social determinants of health.