Enhanced Healthy Start Program Clinical Manager: Jennifer Kaaa 1382 Kilauea Ave. Hilo, HI 96720 Phone: 935-6067 ext. 139 jkaaa@ywcahawaiiisland.org Healthy Start and Enhanced Healthy Start Program History The Hawai'i Healthy Start Program began as a demonstration child abuse and neglect prevention project in July 1985 in one location on O'ahu. Healthy Start has served as the model for the home visiting programs initiated on the mainland by Prevent Child Abuse America, Healthy Families America. Today, Enhanced Healthy Start Program (EHSP) has involved into a systemic and comprehensive family support service for environmentally at-risk families. EHSP enhances family functioning with the primary focus on enhancing parent-child interaction and promoting positive parent-child relationships, promoting healthy childhood growth and development, and encouraging positive parenting skills.

What's the difference between Healthy Start and Enhanced Healthy Start? The primary difference between the Healthy Start Program (HSP) and the Enhanced Healthy Start Program (EHSP) is that HSP is purely a voluntary program (moms "self refer") and the family cannot be involved with Child Welfare Services (CWS). In EHSP the family/child must be involved with either CWS or Voluntary Case Management (VCM) and must be referred to EHSP by their CWS Social Worker or by their VCM worker.

Target Population and Eligibility Criteria

EHSP services pregnant women (including minors) in their first trimester of pregnancy (day of conception) and families with children up to 3 years of age. For referral to EHSP, the pregnant woman must be involved with Child Welfare Services. The referred child must be under the jurisdiction of Child Welfare Services, and must not be older than 2 1/2 years of age. Referrals must be made by the Child Welfare Services Social Worker through the Hawai'i Keiki Information Service System (H-KISS). H-KISS referral number: 1-800-235-5477 If you need more information, please call Jennifer Kaaa at (808) 935-6067 ext 139