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Appendix A: Summary of BSF Development and Implementation By Site

 

Table A-1. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation in Atlanta, Georgia

		Atlanta GSU Location	Latin American Association Location
Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Health Policy Center at Georgia State University (GSU)	Latin American Association (LAA), a community-based nonprofit
	Organizational Structure and Role	GSU is lead agency for site, manages the program and conducts outreach for both locations; provides services for English-speaking couples.  BSF was developed from the ground-up at the GSU location.	Delivers BSF services to Spanish-speaking couples.  BSF was added to the services of this multi-program agency.
	Community Context	GSU’s program is located in a large urban downtown area with a high concentration of African Americans.	LAA is located in a suburban area but serves the metropolitan area’s high concentration of Hispanic families.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$8,836 per couple	$8,836 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Prenatal clinic at major public health hospital in downtown Atlanta.	Prenatal clinic at major public health hospital in downtown Atlanta.
	Recruitment Strategies	Targets pregnant women who come to the clinic with their partners.  Outreach and intake conducted simultaneously and on the spot, in most cases.	Recruitment of Spanish-speaking couples is done by GSU’s Spanish-speaking outreach/intake workers.
	Enrollment Rate	388 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  34 couples are enrolled per month, on average.	73 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  3 couples per month are enrolled, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	93% are African American; 68% have H/S diploma; 52% employed; 76% earn less than $15,000/year; 67% cohabit; 36% MPF; 63% high chance of marriage; 86% pregnant.	97% are Hispanic, Spanish is primary language for 95%; 48% have H/S diploma; 53% employed; 79% earn less than $15,000/year; 84% cohabit; 27% MPF; 65% high chance of marriage; 73% pregnant.
Marriage And Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Loving Couples, Loving Children	Loving Couples, Loving Children—Spanish Version
	Delivery Format(s)	Weekly 2-hour sessions	Weekly 2-hour sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Selected couples receive incentives (gift cards, baby items) based on attendance	Selected couples receive incentives (gift cards, baby items) based on attendance
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Social activities, meetings w/ group facilitators, orientation sessions, staff reminders, home visits and make-up sessions after absences	Meetings w/ FCs and group facilitators; reminders; social activities; home visits and make-up session after absences; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	79%	70%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	22 hours	29 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	23%	40%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Provide contact and support on an as-needed basis.	Provide contact and support on a regular basis and also as-needed.
	Staffing Arrangement	FC functions split across group facilitators and intake/outreach staff.	FC functions split across group facilitators and dedicated Family Coordinators.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Group facilitators contact couples by telephone to remind them about group, particularly for inconsistent attenders.	Group facilitators contact couples by telephone to remind them about group, particularly for inconsistent attenders.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Group facilitators reinforce skills during telephone calls with couples as needed.	FCs reinforce skills through telephone calls and home visits on a regularly scheduled basis.
	Frequency of FC contact	82% of program group couples were contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 2. Couples were contacted mostly by telephone (84% of all contacts) and via home visits (3%).	96% of program group couples were contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about one. Couples were mostly contacted by telephone (57% of all contacts) and through home visits (40%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	90% of contacts were with both parents.	22% of all contacts were with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Informal guided discussion.	Informal guided discussion.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Both parents assessed at enrollment.	Both parents assessed at enrollment.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	3%	26%

 

Table A-2. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation in Baltimore, Maryland

Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Center for Fathers, Families, and Workforce Development (CFWD), a community-based nonprofit
	Organizational Structure	CFWD manages the site and employs all site staff.  BSF was added to the services of this multi-program agency.
	Community Context	CFWD’s program is located in West Baltimore which has a high concentration of low-income, African Americans.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$11,278 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Six hospitals and clinics throughout the Baltimore area.
	Recruitment Strategies	Approach pregnant and postnatal women attending appointments at hospitals and clinics.  Receive referrals from hospitals and clinics.  Obtain consent for further contact during street outreach.  Outreach and intake often completed during separate contacts.
	Enrollment Rate	384 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  25 couples are enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	95% are African American; 60% have H/S diploma; 47% employed; 72% earn less than $15,000/year; 67% cohabit; 40% MPF; 53% high chance of marriage; 72% pregnant.
Marriage and Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Loving Couples, Loving Children
	Delivery Format(s)	Weekly 2-hour sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Selected couples receive incentives (baby items, gift cards) during a raffle at each session.  Couples who attend the graduation ceremony receive an incentive (gift card), the value of incentive depends on the couple’s attendance record.  Couples that attend all group sessions also receive an overnight stay at a local hotel.
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Social activities; meetings with family coordinators; staff reminders; telephone contact or home visits after group absences; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	61%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	19 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	12%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Conduct monthly home visits with couples and provide additional ongoing support and contact on an as needed basis.
	Staffing Arrangement	Staff fulfilling FC functions split their time between intake and FC responsibilities.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Intake staff contact couples by telephone to remind them about group.  Outreach workers contact all couples prior to group to inquire about transportation needs.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Intake staff reinforce skills occasionally during home visits (informal approach).
	Frequency of FC contact	100% of program group couples were contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 2. Couples were contacted mostly by telephone (61% of all contacts) and via home visits (17%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	66% of contacts were with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Intake staff complete a structured assessment tool with couples.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Couples complete a family strengthening plan shortly after enrollment in which they identify goals.  Intake staff review and update the plan with couples on a monthly basis during home visits.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	27%

 

Table A-3. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation In Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge, a community-based non-profit
	Organizational Structure	Family Road manages the site and employs all site staff.  BSF was added to the services of this multi-program agency.
	Community Context	Family Road recruits throughout the Greater Baton Rouge community, which is predominantly African American.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$8,852 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	The Better Beginnings program, which meets at Family Road and links Medicaid-eligible pregnant women to prenatal and pediatric services. Also community outreach, such as health units, churches, colleges, and WIC clinics.
	Recruitment Strategies	BSF is described to pregnant women attending Better Beginnings program at Family Road.  To encourage referrals, staff make presentations at social service programs.  Outreach and intake conducted in one encounter, in many cases.
	Enrollment Rate	308 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  23 couples are enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	76% are African American and 17% are White; 67% have H/S diploma; 59% employed; 77% earn less than $15,000/year. 65% cohabit, 29% MPF, 82% high chance of marriage. 91% pregnant.
Marriage and Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Loving Couples, Loving Children
	Delivery Format(s)	Weekly 2-hour sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Couples accumulate points for each attendance, which can be redeemed after reaching specified attendance milestones.  Couples select incentive from list that includes baby items, gift cards, and wedding assistance.
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Meetings with family coordinators; orientation session; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absences; make-up sessions; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	64%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	22 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	30%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Some couples require greater case management than others.  Frequency of FC contact is determined by couples’ level of risk.
	Staffing Arrangement	Dedicated family coordinators.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Family coordinators contact couples by telephone to remind them about group.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Family coordinators reinforce skills during telephone contacts and home visits with couples as needed.
	Frequency of FC contact	98% of program group couples contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 2. Couples contacted mostly by telephone (62% of all contacts) and program office visit (16%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	32% of contacts with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Family coordinators complete a structured assessment tool with couples from which couples are identified as high- or low-risk.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Couples complete a family strengthening plan shortly after enrollment in which they identify goals.  Intake staff review and update the plan with couples on a regular basis during home visits.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	25%

 

Table A-4. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation in Florida

		Broward County, Florida	Orange County, Florida
Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Healthy Families Florida (HFF), a state-level organization with local sites throughout the state and run by The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida.	Healthy Families Florida, a state-level organization with local sites throughout the state and run by The Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida.
	Organizational Structure	HFF integrated BSF services into its Healthy Families Broward agency. The integrated program is known as Healthy Families Plus.	HFF integrated BSF services into its Healthy Families Orange agency.  The integrated program is known as Healthy Families Plus.
	Community Context	Healthy Families Plus (BSF) serves couples in the city of Fort Lauderdale and surrounding communities, which is a relatively dispersed area of mixed race/ethnicities and income levels.	Healthy Families Plus (BSF) serves selected zip codes within Orange County, including Orlando and surrounding areas.  The service area includes densely populated communities but covers a fairly large geographic area.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$14,169 per couple	$14,169 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Five birthing hospitals throughout the county.	Three birthing hospitals throughout the county.
	Recruitment Strategies	Couples prescreened through information provided by the hospitals.  New mothers, and fathers if available, are approached in the maternity ward.  BSF intake is incorporated into the routine baseline assessment and intake procedure for Healthy Families.	Couples prescreened through information provided by the hospitals.  New mothers, and fathers if available, are approached in the maternity ward.  BSF intake is incorporated into the routine baseline assessment and intake procedure for Healthy Families.
	Enrollment Rate	235 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  22 couples are enrolled per month, on average.	319 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  21 couples are enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	72% are African American and 18% are Hispanic; 69% have H/S diploma; 50% employed; 64% earn less than $15,000/year; 66% cohabit; 27% MPF; 49% high chance of marriage; 2% pregnant.	60% are African American and 24% are Hispanic; 71% have H/S diploma; 51% employed; 70% earn less than $15,000/year; 75% cohabit; 22% MPF; 62% high chance of marriage; 0% pregnant.
Marriage And Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Loving Couples, Loving Children	Loving Couples, Loving Children
	Delivery Format(s)	Weekly 2-hour sessions	Weekly 2-hour or 4-hour sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Provide incentives to couples after they achieve set attendance milestones.  Incentives include cash or gift checks to recognize initial and ongoing attendance.	Provide incentives to couples after they achieve set attendance milestones.  Incentives are provided as gift cards to recognize initial and ongoing attendance.
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Meet with BSF family coordinator (HF home visitor) during parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absence; comfortable setting.	Meet with BSF family coordinator (HF home visitor) during parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absence; make-up sessions; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	65%	61%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	13 hours	16 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	3%	7%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Home visits integrate parenting focus of Healthy Families with the couple and relationship focus of BSF.	Home visits integrate parenting focus of Healthy Families with the couple and relationship focus of BSF.
	Staffing Arrangement	A dedicated home visitor jointly provides BSF and Healthy Families services.	A dedicated home visitor jointly provides BSF and Healthy Families services.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Home visitors or other staff contact couples by telephone to remind them about group.	Home visitors or other staff contact couples by telephone to remind them about group.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Home visitors reinforce skills during home visits with couples on a regular basis, using special materials designed for this purpose.	Home visitors reinforce skills during home visits with couples on a regular basis, using special materials designed for this purpose.
	Frequency of FC contact	84% of program group couples contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 4. Most contacts made through home visits (48%) and via telephone (41%).	91% of program group couples contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 5. Most contacts made through home visits (44%) and via telephone (33%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	20% of contacts were with both parents.	28% of contacts were with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Intake workers conduct an in-depth, informally structured assessment.	Intake workers conduct an in-depth, informally structured assessment.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Intake workers assess mothers during intake.  Fathers are included in the assessment, if present, though the assessment is not targeted to fathers.  Home visitors continue to monitor the needs of mothers during ongoing visits.	Intake workers assess mothers during intake.  Fathers are included in the assessment, if present, though the assessment is not targeted to fathers.  Home visitors continue to monitor the needs of mothers during ongoing visits.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	62%	75%

 

Table A-5. Summary of Development and Implementation of BSF in Indiana

		Allen County, Indiana	Lake County, Indiana	Marion County, Indiana
Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	In Indiana, BSF is sponsored by Healthy Families Indiana (HFI), a state-level organization with program sites throughout the state, and SCAN, Inc., HFI’s program in Allen County.	In Indiana, BSF is sponsored by Healthy Families Indiana (HFI), a state-level organization with program sites throughout the state.   The HFI program that administers BSF in Lake County is administered through contract with the Villages, an organization that provides Healthy Families services throughout the county.	In Indiana, BSF is sponsored by Healthy Families Indiana (HFI), a state-level organization with program sites throughout the state.  Four Healthy Families locations in Marion County contract with HFI and SCAN, Inc. to provide BSF services.  Marion County includes Indianapolis.
	Organizational Structure	HFI administers BSF in Indiana, in coordination with SCAN, Inc.  In Allen County, SCAN, Inc. delivers both Healthy Families and BSF services, known as Healthy Couples Healthy Families (HCHF).	HFI administers BSF in Indiana, in coordination with SCAN, Inc.  In Lake County, BSF is administered by Healthy Families, which operates under contract with the Villages.    The intake workers in Lake County are primarily employed by another agency, Mental Health Associates.	HFI administers BSF in Indiana, in coordination with SCAN, Inc. In Marion County, BSF is provided through four Healthy Families locations throughout the county.
	Community Context	Couples are recruited from throughout the Fort Wayne metro area, which is predominantly urban.	The service area is both urban and rural.	Couples are recruited from throughout the Indianapolis metro area, the 12th largest population in the country, predominantly urban.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$12,095 on average per couple	$12,095 on average per couple	$12,095 on average per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Birthing hospitals and area social service programs	Birthing hospitals	Birthing hospitals and area social service programs
	Recruitment Strategies	Assess mothers in hospital for Healthy Families.  If BSF eligible, schedule a follow-up home visit to introduce BSF and complete intake.  Fathers often complete BSF intake during a separate home visit.	Assess mothers in hospital for Healthy Families.  Potentially eligible BSF cases are turned over to BSF group facilitators for intake.  Group facilitators contact mothers by telephone to introduce BSF and schedule an intake home visit.  Dad is asked to be at scheduled home visit.	Assessment workers receive Healthy Families referrals from WIC.  Home visits are scheduled with mothers to complete Healthy Families assessment.  Potentially eligible BSF cases are turned over to BSF group facilitators for intake.  Group facilitators contact mothers by telephone to introduce BSF and schedule an intake home visit.  Dad is asked to be at scheduled home visit.
	Enrollment Rate	59 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  4 couples are enrolled per month, on average.	45 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  4 couples are enrolled per month, on average.	139 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  12 couples are enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	29% are African American and 53% are White; 83% have H/S diploma; 53% employed; 76% earn less than $15,000/year; 76% cohabit; 28% MPF; 79% high chance of marriage; 22% pregnant.	56% are African American and 35% are White; 75% have H/S diploma; 42% employed; 80% earn less than $15,000/year; 72% cohabit; 30% MPF; 73% high chance of marriage; 64% pregnant.	61% are African American and 28% are White; 70% have H/S diploma; 56% employed; 66% earn less than $15,000/year; 75% cohabit; 31% MPF, 79% high chance of marriage; 35% pregnant.
Marriage and Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Loving Couples, Loving Children	Loving Couples, Loving Children	Loving Couples, Loving Children
	Delivery Format(s)	Weekly 2-hour sessions	Weekly 2-hour sessions	Weekly 2-hour sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Provide incentives to couples after they achieve set attendance milestones.  Incentives are gift cards to recognize initial and ongoing attendance.	Provide incentives to couples after they achieve set attendance milestones.  Incentives are gift cards to recognize initial and ongoing attendance.	Provide incentives to couples after they achieve set attendance milestones.  Incentives are gift cards to recognize initial and ongoing attendance.
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Social activities with other BSF couples; meet with BSF group facilitator; parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absence; make-up sessions.	Meet with BSF group facilitator; parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders.	Social activities with other BSF couples; parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absence; make-up sessions; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	50%	50%	40%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	26 hours	19 hours	28 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	20%	0%	15%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Conduct weekly parenting-focused home visits for Healthy Families.  Limited integration of BSF material during home visits.	Conduct weekly parenting-focused home visits for Healthy Families.  Limited integration of BSF material during home visits.	Conduct weekly parenting-focused home visits for Healthy Families.  Limited integration of BSF material during home visits.
	Staffing Arrangement	A dedicated home visitor jointly provides Healthy Families and BSF services.  Group facilitators provide some follow-up with couples outside of group sessions.	A dedicated home visitor jointly provides Healthy Families and BSF services.  Group facilitators provide some follow-up with couples outside of group sessions.	A dedicated home visitor jointly provides Healthy Families and BSF services.  Group facilitators provide some follow-up with couples outside of group sessions.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Home visitors and group facilitators jointly encourage group attendance during home visits on a regular basis.	Group facilitators contact couples by telephone to encourage group attendance on a regular basis.	Group facilitators contact couples by telephone to encourage group attendance on a regular basis.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Home visitors recently trained to reinforce skills during home visits with couples.	Home visitors recently trained to reinforce skills during home visits with couples.	Group facilitators reinforce skills during telephone contact with couples on an as needed basis.  Home visitors recently trained to support couples.
	Frequency of FC contact	100% of program group couples contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 8. Couples were contacted mostly via home visit (39% of all contacts) and by telephone (34%).	91% of program group couples  contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is 4. Couples were contacted mostly by telephone (48% of all contacts) and via home visit (42%).	100% of program group couples  contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is 4. Couples were contacted mostly by telephone (44% of all contacts) and via home visit (44%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	49% of contacts with both parents.	32% of contacts with both parents.	33% of contacts with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Intake workers conduct an in-depth, informally structured assessment.	Intake workers conduct an in-depth, informally structured assessment.	Intake workers conduct an in-depth, informally structured assessment.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Intake workers assess mothers during intake.  Fathers included in the assessment, if present, though the assessment is not targeted to fathers.  Home visitors continue to monitor the needs of mothers during ongoing visits.	Intake workers assess mothers during intake.	Intake workers assess mothers during intake.  Home visitors continue to monitor the needs of mothers during ongoing visits.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	64	76	87

 

Table A-6. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Public Strategies, Inc. operates Oklahoma’s BSF program, Family Expectations, as part of its contract with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to implement the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative.
	Organizational Structure	PSI manages and operates all components of Family Expectations, which was developed from the ground up in Oklahoma.
	Community Context	Family Expectations serves couples throughout Oklahoma City.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$11,149 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Wide variety of recruitment sources, including birthing hospitals, prenatal clinics, public health clinics, and social service programs.  Also broad outreach, such as public service announcements and personal referrals.
	Recruitment Strategies	Family Expectations often receives referrals from recruitment sources.  Outreach workers initiate contact with potential couples through telephone calls.  Staff attempt to conduct the full intake with both members of the couple simultaneously.  All intakes occur at the program office.
	Enrollment Rate	294 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  35 couples are enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	31% are African American and 41% are White; 70% have H/S diploma; 54% employed; 72% earn less than $15,000/year; 79% cohabit, 27% MPF; 73% high chance of marriage; 85% pregnant.
Marriage and Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Becoming Parents Program for Low-Income, Low-Literacy Couples
	Delivery Format(s)	Two formats offered:  A weekend format with 5-hour sessions that meet weekly for 6 weeks, and a weekday format with 3-hour sessions that meet for 10 weeks.  Unmarried BSF couples may meet in groups together with married couples participating as part of the Supporting Healthy Marriages demonstration.
	Incentives for Attendance	Couples receive a cash incentive after completing 6, 15, and 30 hours of the curriculum.  Couples also earn “Crib Cash” for each group attendance (redeemable at the on-site store).
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Meetings with Family Coordinators; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; and comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	80%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	24 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	40%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Couples should be expected to come to the program office for regularly scheduled meetings.  The frequency of meetings should decrease over time.
	Staffing Arrangement	Dedicated FC staff work individually with unmarried couples in BSF, and with married couples who participate in the Strengthening Healthy Marriages program.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Family coordinators encourage couples to attend group sessions during telephone contact on an as needed basis.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Family coordinators reinforce skills during office visits with couples on a regular basis.
	Frequency of FC contact	100% of program group couples contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 4.  The majority of all contacts are via telephone (71%) and office visits (25%).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	Information not available.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Formal assessment of couple’s needs using tools developed by the site.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Mothers and fathers assessed soon after enrolling in BSF during a program office visit with the family coordinator.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	61%

 

Table A-7. Summary of BSF Development and Implementation in Texas

		Houston, Texas	San Angelo, Texas
Program Setting	Sponsoring Organization	Houston transformed its Healthy Families services into a BSF program, by serving only couples who meet BSF eligibility requirements.  Houston receives financial support from a state 1115 waiver and from an ACF Healthy Marriage Initiative grant.	San Angelo transformed its Healthy Families services into a BSF program, by serving only couples who meet BSF eligibility requirements.  San Angelo receives financial support from a state 1115 waiver.
	Organizational Structure	Healthy Families Initiatives in Houston manages and operates all components of BSF.	Healthy Families San Angelo manages and operates all components of BSF.
	Community Context	Couples recruited from throughout the Houston metro area.  The majority are Spanish-speaking and Hispanic.	San Angelo primarily serves English-speaking, Hispanic couples.
	Approximate Level of Resources Needed	$10,112 per couple	$12,607 per couple
Recruitment	Source(s)	Partnerships with area birthing hospitals and four public health clinics.	The local hospital serves as the primary recruitment source.
	Recruitment Strategies	Houston receives referrals from recruitment partners and then contacts couples by telephone to schedule a full intake.  Recently, Houston began to station outreach staff at public health clinics to facilitate direct interaction between the program and potentially eligible couples.	Outreach staff make initial contact with mothers during their hospital stay after the child’s birth.  Full intake is conducted later with interested couples in their home, ideally with mothers and fathers simultaneously.
	Enrollment Rate	220 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  14 couples enrolled per month, on average.	219 couples enrolled as of March 31, 2007.  13 couples enrolled per month, on average.
	Enrollee Characteristics at Baseline	90% are Hispanic; 58% have H/S diploma; 51% employed; 69% earn less than $15,000/year. 83% cohabit, 26% MPF, 69% high chance of marriage. 64% pregnant.	73% are Hispanic and 21% are White; 64% have H/S diploma; 53% employed; 82% earn less than $15,000/year; 81% cohabit, 32% MPF, 80% high chance of marriage; 17% pregnant.
Marriage And Relationship Skills Groups	Curriculum Choice	Love’s Cradle	Love’s Cradle
	Delivery Format(s)	2-hour, 4-hour, or 6-hour sessions.  Multiple modules are presented at the longer sessions.	2-hour weekly sessions
	Incentives for Attendance	Couples earn cash incentives that are redeemable after attaining set attendance milestones.  Raffles also held during sessions.	San Angelo does not regularly offer incentives to couples to encourage attendance, though they occasionally provide various gifts to participants such as movie tickets or door prizes.
	Other Practices to Encourage Attendance	Meetings with Family Coordinators and initiation of parenting-focused home visits; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; telephone contact after group absences; couples receive material missed during absence	Meetings with Family Coordinators and initiation of parenting-focused home visits; group orientation session; staff reminders; ongoing social activities; meeting with current/past participants; telephone contact after group absences; couples receive material missed during absence; comfortable setting.
	Percentage of Program Group that Initiated Attendance	43%	57%
	Total Average Hours of Participation by Initiators	20 hours	25 hours
	Percentage of Couples Completing 80%-100% of Curriculum	3%	12%
Family Coordinator Component	Philosophy of Case Management	Conduct weekly home visits that integrate parenting focus of Healthy Families with the couple and relationship focus of BSF.	Conduct weekly home visits that integrate parenting focus of Healthy Families with the couple and relationship focus of BSF.
	Staffing Arrangement	Dedicated home visiting staff fulfill the family coordinator role and conduct the parenting-focused home visits.	Dedicated home visiting staff fulfill the family coordinator role and conduct the parenting-focused home visits.
	Encouraging Group Attendance	Family coordinators encourage couples to attend group sessions during regularly scheduled home visits.	Family coordinators encourage couples to attend group sessions during regularly scheduled home visits.
	Reinforcing Relationship Skills	Family coordinators reinforce skills during home visits with couples on an as needed basis. All FCs are trained in the Love’s Cradle curriculum.	Family coordinators reinforce skills during home visits with couples on a regular basis.  All FCs are trained in the Love’s Cradle curriculum.
	Frequency of FC contact	100% of program group couples were contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 4. Couples were contacted mostly via home visits (53%) and by telephone (43% of all contacts).	100% of program group couples were contacted outside of group sessions.  Average number of monthly contacts per couple is about 5. Couples were contacted mostly via home visits (51%) and by telephone (29% of all contacts).
	Parents’ Attendance at FC Contacts	17% of contacts were with both parents.	43% of contacts were with both parents.
Family Support Services Component	Method of Assessment	Informal assessment during home visits.	Informal assessment during assessment in hospital and during home visits.
	Who is Assessed; How Often; Goal Setting	Mothers and fathers assessed during intake.  Assessments are updated during program participation through family coordinators monitoring the couple’s needs.	Mothers and fathers assessed shortly after random assignment.  Assessments are updated during program participation through family coordinators monitoring the couple’s needs.
	Percentage of Program Group Referred for Services	56%	40%

 

 

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