Emerging Practice

Early Intervention Parenting Partnerships (EIPP)

State/Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Setting: Home
Population: Families & Caregivers Infant
Topic Area: Safe and Connected Communities Care Coordination
NPMs: NPM 4: Breastfeeding

The Early Intervention Parenting Partnerships (EIPP) is a home visiting program for expectant parents and families with infants who are high need due to practical barriers (e.g., low financial resources, housing instability), emotional and/or behavioral health challenges (e.g., depression, substance use), or other stressors (e.g., immigration-related stress). EIPP is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of professionals who provide comprehensive services to achieve family and program goals. The core EIPP team consists of a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Nurse, Licensed Mental Health Clinician or Social Worker, Community Health Worker (CHW), Nutrition and Lactation Consultant (as appropriate), Coordinator, and Director. The goals of EIPP are to: 1) Connect families with local resources; 2) Provide and build families’ social support; 3) Appropriately engage families in health care systems; 4) Provide parenting education; 5) Promote positive parent-child attachment and healthy child development; and 6) Support families experiencing multiple stressors to prevent child social and emotional delays, and link with Early Intervention (EI) services where appropriate. Pregnant and postpartum parents and their families may enroll until the child’s third month, and services continue until the child’s first birthday. The program begins with an initial assessment to identify a family’s strengths and needs using a standardized tool called the Comprehensive Health Assessment (CHA). The family’s strengths and needs are then used to collaboratively develop individualized goals for the Family Care Plan (FCP). After the initial assessment, EIPP providers conduct home visits aimed at connecting the family to resources, providing parent education and skills building support, and facilitating the family’s own social support. Participants are also encouraged to attend a 10-session group designed to build social support by connecting participants with other new and expecting parents. Group sessions also provide education on a variety of maternal and child health and well-being topics such as breastmilk feeding, nutrition, and positive parenting.


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CONTACT INFORMATION
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Beth Buxton
beth.buxton@mass.gov
(617) 624-5910
Practice Website