Who provides program services to families?
Staffing is a critical component of all Healthy Families America programs. Healthy Families America places a high priority on recruiting highly qualified staff who not only have direct service experience, but who have strong interpersonal and communication skills and a willingness to work with culturally diverse families in the communities in which they serve. Direct service staff consist of Family Assessment Workers (FAWs) and Family Support Workers (FSWs). FAWs are specially trained to conduct assessments. In addition, they may also do initial screenings of potential participants. FSWs provide home visiting services. During these visits, the FSWs work closely with families to help them identify their needs and set goals. Staff help parents learn how to interact with their children and teach them to recognize their babies’ cues. They also ensure that families are linked with a medical home to receive the necessary health care services. Based on the 2003 survey, HFA programs employed n
