Early Head Start Home-Based Option Meets HHS Criteria

Last updated: 2016

In brief

Evidence of model effectiveness

This model meets the criteria established by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for an “evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model” for the general population, but does not meet the criteria for tribal populations.

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Model description

Early Head Start serves low-income pregnant women and families with children younger than age 3, most of whom are at or below the federal poverty level or eligible for Part C services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in their state. The model provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services. Early Head Start programs include home- or center-based services, a combination of home- and center-based programs, and family child care services (services provided in family child care homes). The focus of this report is on the Early Head Start Home-Based Option. Early Head Start Home-Based Option services include a minimum of weekly 90-minute home visits and two group socialization activities per month for parents and their children. Home visitors are required to have a minimum of a Home Visitor Child Development Associate (CDA) or comparable credential, or equivalent coursework as part of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. This report also includes a review of an infant mental health home-based services (IMH-HB Early Head Start) adaptation of Early Head Start Home-Based Option services, which aims to help parents build stronger relationships with their infants and toddlers, foster healthy family functioning, and support the emotional health of both parent and child. For more information about the Early Head Start Home-Based Option, please read the Model Overview.

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Extent of evidence

Early Head Start Home-Based Option
Results of search and review
Number of manuscripts
At least one finding was eligible for review…
19
  …and at least one finding rated high
5
  …and at least one finding rated moderate (but none rated high)
1
  …and all findings that were eligible for review rated low
6
  …but manuscript is additional source1
7
EHS - Early Head Start Infant Mental Health Home-Based Services Adaptation (IMH-HB EHS)
Results of search and review
Number of manuscripts
At least one finding was eligible for review…
1
  …and at least one finding rated high
0
  …and at least one finding rated moderate (but none rated high)
1
  …and all findings that were eligible for review rated low
0
  …but manuscript is additional source1
0

1Additional sources have findings or details that perfectly overlap with another manuscript and are not rated.

For more information, see the research database. For more information on the criteria used to rate research, please see details of HomVEE’s methods and standards.

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Summary of findings

To see details on each finding HomVEE reviewed in well-designed research, click on the name of an outcome domain in the tables below. Findings rated low quality by HomVEE are not summarized here.

Early Head Start Home-Based Option
Outcomes
Findings

Outcome Child Development and School Readiness

Findings:
Favorable: 5
No effect: 41
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Child Health

Findings:
Favorable: 0
No effect: 14
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Family Economic Self-Sufficiency

Findings:
Favorable: 16
No effect: 73
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 1

Outcome Linkages and Referrals

Findings:
Favorable: 8
No effect: 8
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Maternal Health

Findings:
Favorable: 0
No effect: 11
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Positive Parenting Practices

Findings:
Favorable: 9
No effect: 55
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Reductions In Child Maltreatment

Findings:
Favorable: 0
No effect: 1
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Reductions in Juvenile Delinquency, Family Violence, and Crime

Not measured
EHS - Early Head Start Infant Mental Health Home-Based Services Adaptation (IMH-HB EHS)
Outcomes
Findings

Outcome Child Development and School Readiness

Not measured

Outcome Child Health

Not measured

Outcome Family Economic Self-Sufficiency

Not measured

Outcome Linkages and Referrals

Not measured

Outcome Maternal Health

Findings:
Favorable: 5
No effect: 6
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 1

Outcome Positive Parenting Practices

Not measured

Outcome Reductions in Child Maltreatment

Not measured

Outcome Reductions in Juvenile Delinquency, Family Violence, and Crime

Not measured

The section above focuses on findings from the full sample in a study. Subgroups that have been replicated in distinct samples also have findings reported above. HomVEE does not report the findings of non-replicated subgroups. Beginning with research reviewed in 2021, however, HomVEE, lists those subgroups on the details page of each manuscript that had at least one finding that rated moderate or high.

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Criteria established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Information based on comprehensive review of all high- and moderate-rated manuscripts
Early Head Start Home-Based Option
CriterionCriterion descriptionCriterion met?
1High- or moderate-quality impact study?Yes
2Across high- or moderate-quality studies, favorable impacts in at least two outcome domains within one sample OR the same domain for at least two non-overlapping samples?Yes
3Favorable impacts on full sample?Yes
4Any favorable impacts on outcome measures sustained at least 12 months after model enrollment?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Yes
5One or more favorable, statistically significant impact reported in a peer-reviewed journal?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Yes
EHS - Early Head Start Infant Mental Health Home-Based Services Adaptation (IMH-HB EHS)
CriterionCriterion descriptionCriterion met?
1High- or moderate-quality impact study?Yes
2Across high- or moderate-quality studies, favorable impacts in at least two outcome domains within one sample OR the same domain for at least two non-overlapping samples?No
3Favorable impacts on full sample?Yes
4Any favorable impacts on outcome measures sustained at least 12 months after model enrollment?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Yes
5One or more favorable, statistically significant impact reported in a peer-reviewed journal?
Reported for all research but only required for RCTs.		Yes

Notes: If the model does not meet criterion 3 but meets criteria 1 and 2 based on findings from subgroups, the impacts must be replicated in the same domain in two or more studies using non-overlapping analytic study samples. HomVEE assesses and reports criteria 4 and 5 for all models that have well-designed research, but meeting those two criteria is only required of models for which all findings are from randomized controlled trials. Please read the HHS criteria for evidence-based models for more information.

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