| |
The report is the final in a series of three reports
issued on the Healthy Families Pilot Program. The first two reports focused
on program implementation. The final report addresses the Program’s outcomes
and impacts. Specifically, the Healthy Families Pilot Program has reduced
the rates of child abuse and neglect for some participants. Reductions in
child abuse and neglect were found for parents with more than one child and
for parents who stay in the Program for at least six months. However,
analyses of the child abuse and neglect data for first time parents and for
parents with prior histories of abuse or neglect are inconclusive. In
addition to the direct impact the Program has had for children by reducing
child abuse and neglect, Healthy Families has been successful at improving
children’s home environments and their health care. Parents in the Program
are also found to benefit by increased self-sufficiency, resulting in a
reduction in their reliance on public assistance programs. The Program is
found to have some offsetting financial benefits that in the short term
reduce the cost of the program to taxpayers by more than 50 percent. Long
term benefits of the Program could not be estimated at this time, but may
further offset the initial costs of the program.
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
