Resources, Education, and Care in the Home (REACH)

Model effectiveness research report last updated: 2011

In brief

Evidence of model effectiveness

This model does not meet 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 or for tribal populations because the findings from high- or moderate-rated effectiveness studies of the model do not meet all required criteria.

View Revisions

Model description

The Resources, Education and Care in the Home (REACH) program was a multiagency service model designed to prevent and reduce post-neonatal morbidity and mortality in high-need communities. REACH targeted infants born to low-income teenage mothers, mothers with limited or no access to prenatal care, infants and mothers discharged early from the hospital, and families with psychosocial problems. A hospital-based registered nurse case manager coordinated mothers’ contacts with participating REACH agencies, made referrals to social service organizations, and provided counseling. Families typically received home visits when children were two weeks; six to eight weeks; and 4, 8, and 12 months old, with additional visits as necessary. Home visitors provided parent education; conducted infant, parent, and environmental assessments; and collected information on child health and development. For more information, please read the Model Overview.

View Revisions

Extent of evidence

Results of search and review
Number of manuscripts
At least one finding was eligible for review…
3
  …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
2
  …but manuscript is additional source2
0

1When an individual manuscript reports findings from multiple studies, HomVEE reviews each study as a distinct manuscript. In these rare instances, HomVEE counts that manuscript multiple times in this table, once for each study identified, screened, and reviewed by HomVEE.

2Additional 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.

View Revisions

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.

Outcomes
Findings

Outcome Child Development and School Readiness

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

Outcome Child Health

Findings:
Favorable: 1
No effect: 3
Unfavorable or ambiguous: 0

Outcome Family Economic Self-Sufficiency

Not measured

Outcome Linkages and Referrals

Not measured

Outcome Maternal Health

Not measured

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.

View Revisions

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

Information based on comprehensive review of all high- and moderate-rated manuscripts
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.		No
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.

View Revisions