title: Assessing the Deployment of Home Visiting: Learning from a State-Wide Survey of Home Visiting Programs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Large-scale planning for health and human services programming is required to inform effective public policy as well as deliver services to meet community needs. The present study demonstrates the value of collecting data directly from deliverers of home visiting programs across a state. This study was conducted in response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires states to conduct a needs assessment of home visiting programs for pregnant women and young children to receive federal funding. In this paper, we provide a descriptive analysis of a needs assessment of home visiting programs in Ohio.
  
  
  METHODS
  All programs in the state that met the federal definition of home visiting were included in this study. Program staff completed a web-based survey with open- and close-ended questions covering program management, content, goals, and characteristics of the families served.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consistent with the research literature, program representatives reported great diversity with regard to program management, reach, eligibility, goals, content, and services delivered, yet consistently conveyed great need for home visiting services across the state.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results demonstrate quantitative and qualitative assessments of need have direct implications for public policy. Given the lack of consistency highlighted in Ohio, other states are encouraged to conduct a similar needs assessment to facilitate cross-program and cross-state comparisons. Data could be used to outline a capacity-building and technical assistance agenda to ensure states can effectively meet the need for home visiting in their state.
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA. fischer@case.edu.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA. exa136@case.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lalich
authors.affiliation: Center for Child Health and Policy, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nevar
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bakaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Siran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koroukian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D005260:Female; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D000068101:Maternal-Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009820:Ohio; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: Affordable Care Act; Home visiting; Maternal and child health; Needs assessment