What is the Healthy Families America Initiative?
Healthy Families America (HFA) is a national initiative to help parents of newborns get their children off to a healthy start. Participation in HFA services is strictly voluntary. HFA offers home visiting and other services to families in over 450 communities, with a ninety percent acceptance rate. In 1992, Prevent Child Abuse America, formerly known as the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, launched Healthy Families America in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities. The initiative promotes positive parenting and child health and development, thereby preventing child abuse, neglect and other poor childhood outcomes. Why is Healthy Families America Needed? Each year an estimated three million cases of suspected child abuse and neglect are reported to Child Protective Service (CPS) agencies, yet more than half of child abuse fatalities are typically unknown to CPS. Almost three children die from child abuse and neglect each day. At the same time, according to a report r
