About Visiting In-Home Supports for Intervention, outcomes and Networking (VISION)

Building on existing services, relationships, and a track record that promotes stronger families through family-centered service, the FOCUS Program of the Center for Development and Disability (CDD) at the University of New Mexico (UNM), currently a FIT provider through the NMDoH, serves families of first born children in Bernalillo County through a newly funded home visiting program, VISION. VISION is funded by CYFD through Value Options of New Mexico as one of nine programs participating in this home visiting initiative.   VISION utilizes the home visiting model developed through the previous efforts of the FOCUS Program, a nationally recognized model program that has demonstrated lower rates of violence and drug use in the home, greater interaction between caregiver and child, and enhanced social-emotional development of the child.

A team of professionals that include a Nurse or a Case Manager and Child Development Associates visit families in their home starting when mothers are pregnant and until the baby is 3 years old.  The program promotes the health and well-being of children and families by helping to build strong caregiver-child relationships. VISION offers supports and services prenatally and during the first 3 years of the child’s life for first time parents including adoptive parents by:

• Discussing how to have a healthy and happy pregnancy and prepare for the birth of a baby;
• Observing and discussing ways in which parents and babies interact with each other;
• Discussing specific things that parents and their baby can do together which will help them enjoy each other;
• Discussing how to create a safe home environment to support the child’s development and well-being;
• Discussing community resources and supports including health care to help the family;
• Looking at how the baby is growing and developing by doing the Ages and Stages Parent Questionnaire on a regular basis.
  

The goals of the program include:

1. provision of weekly home visits to identified families;
2. referral and follow-up for families to community services;
3. broad collaboration with key stakeholders, and
4. orientation, training and supervision of staff. Utilizing staff with expertise in infant mental health, maternal child health, pediatrics, and cultural diversity, and utilizing the medical family home model, VISION will deliver added value to this home visiting initiative.