Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-17-2015
Abstract
Objectives: Large-scale planning for health and human services programming is required to inform effective public policy as well as deliver services to meet community needs. The present study demonstrates the value of collecting data directly from deliverers of home visiting programs across a state. This study was conducted in response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires states to conduct a needs assessment of home visiting programs for pregnant women and young children to receive federal funding. In this paper, we provide a descriptive analysis of a needs assessment of home visiting programs in Ohio. Methods: All programs in the state that met the federal definition of home visiting were included in this study. Program staff completed a web-based survey with open- and close-ended questions covering program management, content, goals, and characteristics of the families served. Results: Consistent with the research literature, program representatives reported great diversity with regard to program management, reach, eligibility, goals, content, and services delivered, yet consistently conveyed great need for home visiting services across the state. Conclusions: Results demonstrate quantitative and qualitative assessments of need have direct implications for public policy. Given the lack of consistency highlighted in Ohio, other states are encouraged to conduct a similar needs assessment to facilitate cross-program and cross-state comparisons. Data could be used to outline a capacity-building and technical assistance agenda to ensure states can effectively meet the need for home visiting in their state.
Keywords
needs assessment, home visiting, maternal and child health, Affordable Care Act
Publication Title
Maternal and Child Health Journal
Volume
20
Issue
3
First Page
674
Last Page
683
Rights
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015. For articles published within the Springer Nature group of companies that have been archived into academic repositories such as this one, where a Springer Nature company holds copyright, or an exclusive license to publish, users may view, print, copy, download and text and data-mine the content, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full conditions of use. Any further use is subject to permission from Springer Nature. The conditions of use are not intended to override, should any national law grant further rights to any user. See full conditions of use.
Recommended Citation
Fischer, R.L., Anthony, E.R., Lalich, N. et al. Assessing the Deployment of Home Visiting: Learning from a State-Wide Survey of Home Visiting Programs. Matern Child Health J 20, 674–683 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1867-y
Comments
This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: 10.1007/s10995-015-1867-y