Maximize Enrollment in Programs that Support Parent-Child interactions
Some federally- or state-funded programs intentionally include activities designed to support positive parent-child interactions and family engagement, including:
- Early Head Start and Head Start
- Family Services through the Children’s Bureau
- IDEA Part C and Part B
- Home Visiting
- Libraries and Museums1
Activities included across these federally-funded programs include flexible program hours to accommodate parents’ schedules, home visits and parent-teacher conferences, parent education, skill building training in parent-child interactions, and linkages to other community services.
- Requirements for Family Engagement and Supporting Parent-Child Interaction. (n.d.). BUILD Initiative. Retrieved January 9, 2017 from http://www.buildinitiative.org/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Requirements%20for%20Family%20Engagement%20and%20Supporting%20Parent-Child%20Relationship.pdf ↵
Screen for and Treat Mothers’ Mental Health Issues
North Carolina can identify gaps in access to mental health screening and treatment for pregnant women and new mothers. Depression prevents new mothers from being able to engage in consistent, responsive parent-child interactions. Widespread screening is the first step towards reducing the incidence of depression. More than half of the 14 medical practices within the Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) network routinely screen for maternal postpartum depression. In July 2016, North Carolina’s Medicaid program began to reimburse providers for up to four screenings for postpartum maternal depression.1
Ensuring access to timely treatment for mental illness for mothers is critical. Nationally, many adults who have been screened for mental health challenges still do not receive treatment.2
- “CMS directs use of CPT code 99420 (Health Risk Screen), one (1) unit per administration, with EP modifier when billing for this service. When conducted as part of a comprehensive Health Check Early Periodic Screening visit, this screen may be billed to the infant’s Medicaid coverage. Providers should carefully review this Program Guide’s section on General Guidance on Use of Structured Screening Tools and follow all documentation requirements.” 2016 NC Health Check Program Guide, op cit., p. 43 ↵
- Olfson, M., Blanco, C. and Marcus, S., Treatment of Adult Depression in the United States. (2016). JAMA Internal Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160829122109.htm ↵
Streamline Application Processes and Bundle Family Support Services
Eligible North Carolina families are under-enrolled or under-served in formal supports that improve family well-being. Participation in these programs improves short- and long-term child and family health, education, and economic outcomes by helping ensure that low-income families’ and children’s basic needs are met.1
To reduce family stress, North Carolina can simplify the application process for family support programs and ensure that every eligible family is enrolled. To streamline the application process, NC could:
- Implement a “no wrong door” policy, so that any community or state agency provider can determine a family’s eligibility for services and supports
- Allow families to complete one application to receive access to all benefits they are eligible for2 (e.g., Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (NC Health Choice), SNAP (food stamps), and other types of federal assistance.)
- Review internal and interagency rules and application procedures to simplify and streamline application processes
The North Carolina Work Support Strategies Initiative aims to streamline policies, service delivery, and program eligibility to create a “no wrong door” system.3 As part of the initiative, North Carolina continues to expand implementation of its NC FAST integrated eligibility system at the state and county levels. NC Families Accessing Services through Technology (NC FAST) was developed as a tool to improve the way eligibility is determined and benefits given for services, including:
- Food and Nutrition Services, North Carolina’s SNAP program
- Medicaid, and NC Health Choice, North Carolina’s CHIP program
- TANF and Work First
- Subsidized Child Care/Child Care Financial Assistance
- Refugee Assistance
- Out of Reach 2016: North Carolina. (2016). National Low Income Housing Coalition. Retrieved from http://nlihc.org/oor/north-carolina ↵
- Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports: Policy and Practice Opportunities at a Critical Moment. (2011). Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved from http://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2-24-11fa.pdf ↵
- Work Support Strategies: Streamlining Access, Strengthening Families. (n.d.). CLASP. Retrieved January 19, 2017 from http://www.clasp.org/issues/work-support-strategies ↵
Build Parenting Support and Education Programs around Practices that Improve Parent-Child Interactions
North Carolina can ensure that parenting support and education programs are built around practices that research has shown support positive parent-child interactions, including:1
- Focusing on parents’ strengths, empowerment, and their own belief in themselves
- Affirming parents’ cultural traditions, beliefs, and practices related to raising children
- Sharing information with parents about child development and early learning
- Teaching or modeling parenting and discipline skills, such as strategies for managing challenging behaviors or supporting a child’s learning
- Modeling healthy interactions with children, such as how to follow a child’s lead during play or how to set appropriate limits
- Changing parents’ attitudes and beliefs
- Reducing parents’ stress by improving access to services through case management or referrals
- Improving social supports for parents
- Working with parents on areas other than parenting
Programs that intentionally include these practices result in:
- Improved parent-child interactions
- More positive parenting and discipline practices
- Reduced parenting stress
- Reduced child maltreatment
- Increased children’s social-emotional competence
- Increased attachment to their parents
- Increased cognitive, language and literacy development2
- Compendium of Parenting Interventions. (2015). (p. 3). Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/family/docs/compendium-of-parenting.pdf ↵
- Compendium of Parenting Interventions, op cit., p. 3 ↵
Invest in Programs that Support Positive Parent-Child Interactions
There is evidence that some specific parenting support and education programs improve:
- Parent-child interactions and relationships
- Parenting attitudes
- Positive discipline practices
- Knowledge of child development
- Parental well-being
- Parenting stress and/or
- Child maltreatment
Agencies that rate the evidence-base behind such programs do not always use the same terminology or standards to rate programs. Some programs may produce improvements in some of the outcomes and not others.1
The programs listed below have been identified as being “evidence-based,” having “adequate evidence,” or being “programs that work” by one or more agencies. The specific programs vary by types of families served (universal vs. targeted) and the ages of children served (birth to early elementary school).2
See our Programs webpage for descriptions of some of these programs.
Name of the Program | Rated By |
1-2-3 Magic | Compendium |
Adults and Children Together Raising Safe Kids – ACT | Compendium |
Chicago Parent Program | Compendium |
Child FIRST | HOMVEE |
Circle of Security | Compendium |
Early Head Start Home Visiting | HOMVEE |
Early Start New Zealand | HOMVEE |
Effective Black Parenting Program | Compendium |
Family Check Up for Children | HOMVEE |
Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) | HOMVEE |
Healthy Beginnings | HOMVEE |
Healthy Families America | HOMVEE |
Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) | HOMVEE |
Incredible Years Attentive Parenting Program | SAMHSA NREPP |
InsideOut Dad (Note: This is an example of a program cited by one resource as evidence based, while another resource (California Clearinghouse) indicates there is not enough evidence to rate it. | National Fatherhood Initiative |
Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-Visiting Program (MECSH) | HOMVEE |
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) | HOMVEE |
Nurturing Parenting Programs | Smart Start Resource Guide |
Parent Corps | Compendium |
Parents as Teachers (PAT) | HOMVEE |
Play and Learn Strategies (PALS) | HOMVEE |
Safe Care (Augmented) | HOMVEE |
Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) | Compendium |
Triple P | HOMVEE |
- Compendium of Parenting Interventions, op cit., p. 9 ↵
- Clearinghouse entities employ different terminology and different standards of evidence for a policy, practice or program to be included in their designation at the highest level of rating. Also, these entities do not have a uniform definition of what constitutes a policy, practice or program. This means that the words “practice” and “program” are sometimes used interchangeably. ↵