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HomVEE, the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness program, sponsored by the federal Health and Human Services department, has declared HANDS to be evidence-based, showing demonstrable outcomes in not just two measures (the minimum), but in four – child health, family economic self-sufficiency, maternal health and reductions in child maltreatment.

The declaration follows four years of submitting program and efficacy data to HomVEE and definitively proves the benefits provided to first-time parents and families by HANDS workers such as those who so ably represent Family & Children’s Place.

“You should be very proud of yourselves and your teams,” said a Department of Child & Family Services spokesperson. “It’s high-quality home visiting work and connections they’re making with families that caused HANDS to earn its place on this prestigious list.”

HomVEE provides a thorough and transparent review of home visiting, assessing evidence of effectiveness for home visiting program models that target families with pregnant women and children from birth to kindergarten entry (up through age 5).

This is more great news for the HANDS program, led by Family & Children’s Place staff in Jefferson County, which achieved the highest percentage of active families and scored in the top 10 percent of programs in assessments, professional and para-professional visits in June. Additionally, the F&CP team led the state in total services completed, meeting 90 percent of its goals and beating all other efforts by at least two full percentage points.