CHI St. Joseph’s Children News:
ALBUQUERQUE — This week CHI St. Joseph’s Children (CHI SJC) and The University of New Mexico, Institute for Social Research, Center for Applied Research and Analysis (ISR/CARA) highlight the early positive outcomes of their long-term randomized controlled trial (a gold standard in research) to demonstrate the benefits of home visiting for families and children in New Mexico.
“CHI St. Joseph’s Children values measurement and accountability and this is why our board of directors authorized the implementation of a longitudinal study to collect important data that will help us make our policy decisions. This is why CHI St. Joseph’s Children has invested an initial million dollars in the preparation and operation of the longitudinal study,” said Allen Sánchez, president of CHI St. Joseph’s Children. “CHI St. Joseph’s Children’s investment in this research is providing evidence that illuminates the value of participating in home visiting programs. We are very encouraged by the preliminary outcomes.”
Accumulating evidence shows early childhood conditions and experiences are critical to mental and physical health in adulthood (Shonkoff, 2016) and so intervening during this critical period is a major public health focus to improve long-term health outcomes. Home visiting programs provide early intervention services, such as nutrition information and activities to stimulate brain development, to families to support the skills and resources necessary for children to thrive (e.g., Sweet & Appelbaum, 2004).
Given the potential for home visiting programs to improve long-term health outcomes and the allocation of substantial resources to these programs, evaluating their efficacy is critical. The aim of the study is to examine the effects of the CHI SJC home visiting program on various outcomes including child development, maternal stress, reductions in child maltreatment, child health, positive parenting practices, and reductions in juvenile delinquency and crime.
Participants are 343 first-time parents and their child(ren) who were living in Bernalillo, Sandoval, or Valencia County in New Mexico at the time of consent. Recruitment began in October 2016 when the program was at capacity and continued for 38 months until December 2019. Study group members are interviewed when they come into the study if the baby has already been born and at birth if the mother is pregnant when they enter the study.
Subsequent interviews occur at 6-months, 12-months, 18-months, 24-months, 36-months, 5-years, 8-years, 12-years, 15-years, and 18-19 years. By early 2023 36-month interviews will be completed, and currently 5-year interviews are being conducted. The CH St. Joseph’s Children treatment group and the control group are equivalent in terms of age, race/ethnicity, education level, and marital status.
Initial research has focused on outcomes at 12-months using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), a developmental screening tool that assesses five domains of child development: Communication, Gross Motor Skills, Fine Motor Skills, Problem Solving, and Personal Social.
“At the 12-months mark, children whose parents were in the program demonstrated better development in each area than children who were not in the program. We found similar effects at 6-months, suggesting the benefits are lasting longer,” said Paul Guerin with the University of New Mexico Institute for Social Research’s Center for Applied Research and Analysis. “Currently we are examining the effects of the number of visits, the effects on other outcomes (i.e., child maltreatment and positive parenting practices) and longer-term outcomes (2-year outcomes). To date, we have promising evidence of the effectiveness of the CHI SJC home visiting program in improving child development. It is important to continue to follow up with these individuals to determine longer-term outcomes.”
“Having this localized data and research shows that investing in our youngest children works,” State Rep. Javier Martínez said. “Walking alongside working families through home visiting is already yielding positive outcomes for their children’s well-being and development. I look forward to seeing the long-term outcomes of this continued research.”
“Policymaking grounded in evidence enables state leaders to use high-quality information to help craft government policies and inform important decisions,” State Sen. Pete Campos said. “As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, it is important that we have this kind of analysis and are able to take into consideration rigorous research like this long-term randomized controlled trial to be the best stewards of our state’s resources.”
This study was preceded by research consisting of an implementation review and an organizational culture review. The implementation study found the program adheres to the program design and follows known best practices. The organizational culture study was important because it is critical in understanding what makes an organization successful. A variety of organizational components contribute to CHI SJC’s organizational success, including leadership behavior, hiring and training, and components of individual well-being, such as values, burnout prevention, employee retention, organizational satisfaction, and quality of interpersonal relations.
