Early Head Start Home-Based Option
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.
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.
Extent of evidence
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.
Criteria established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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.