Home Visiting Information for Social Service Providers

Rhode Island has an array of home visiting programs and resources available to pregnant women and families with young children. As a social service provider, you play an important role in identifying and referring families who may benefit from home visiting and support. When in doubt, refer! Home visiting is available at any time to all pregnant women and families with young children to age three.

What We Do

We provide free, voluntary, confidential home visits to pregnant women and families with young children, birth to age three. We provide visits through the short-term First Connections program and the long-term, evidence-based Healthy Families America, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers programs. (more)

What You Should Do

Talk with families about the benefits of home visiting

Maternal and child home visiting programs focus on improving well-being through home-based outreach. Visits are based on the needs of the pregnant woman, family, or child and are different for every family. (more)

Offer to arrange a home visit for a family

Anyone can refer a family for a home visit. You may wish to refer families if:

• A pregnant woman needs help preparing for the birth of her child.
• A family needs help connecting to services in the community, such as child care, parenting classes, mental health services, or the WIC or SNAP programs.
• A parent has questions about his or her feelings, baby's care, or child's development.
• A child is not up-to-date with the childhood immunization schedule, and you would like a home visitor to help link the child to a medical home.
• A family is interested in having their child receive a child wellness screening.

Contact a First Connections provider to arrange a home visit

If you feel a pregnant woman or family would benefit from home visiting or support, call one of the four First Connections providers to make an appointment or fax over a referral form. The First Connections agency will connect families with the home visiting programs available to them in their community. You can order free referral pads online. Contact information for appointments is based on where the parents live. (more)

When in doubt, refer!

Home visiting is available at any time to all pregnant women and families with young children to age three.

Remind families that they can make a home visiting appointment at a later date

We take self-referrals and referrals from family members at any time.