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The goals of the Healthy Families Program are
the prevention of child abuse and neglect and the promotion of child development
and wellness. To determine whether the program was effective in preventing child
abuse, we compared rates of CPS reports received by Healthy Families
participants to rates of a comparison group. Unlike our previous report, this
study found no differences between the two groups. Both the Healthy Families
participants and the comparison group members had substantiated reports of child
abuse rates that were less than 2%. We did find that after six months in the
program participants reported reduced stress in some areas, including parental
competence, attachment, and isolation.
Consistent with our previous report, the
program was successful in enhancing children’s health and improving their home
environment. Specifically, Healthy Families participants showed positive
outcomes in health-related measures, including immunization rates and
assessments of children’s physical and social development. In addition, home
safety assessments showed that parents also took measures to ensure their
children’s safety in the home.
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