HOME VISITING PROGRAMS 


Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) 

Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) helps first-time 
mothers from low-income families experience 
healthy pregnancies, promotes early literacy, and 
encourages school readiness by helping mothers 
learn how to foster healthy development in their 
children. Families receive services during 
pregnancy until the child turns two years old. 
Healthy Families America (HFA) 
Healthy Families America (HFA) is a home visiting 
program that is equipped to work with families 
who may have histories of trauma, intimate 
partner violence, mental health issues, and/or 
substance abuse issues. Services for this program 
begin prenatally, or immediately after the birth of 
a baby. They are offered voluntarily, intensively, 
and over the long term, from birth until three to 
five years. The HFA program is currently available 
in Erie, Lewistown, Upper Darby, and Wilkinsburg. 


 

Parents as Teachers 

Parents as Teachers provides home visits with 
trained experts who educate parents on how to 
become the first and most important teachers in 
their child’s life. This program offers support 
services from pregnancy to Kindergarten, serving 
at-risk families such as: 

 

. Teen parents 
. Parents or children with disabilities 
. Low-income families 
. Parents without a high school diploma or GED 
. Parents experiencing substance abuse 



Early Head Start 

Early Head Start gives low-income families and 
pregnant women the skills they need to enhance 
their children’s growth from birth to three years. 
Early Head Start home-based services include 
weekly 90-minute visits and two group socializa-
tion activities per month for parents and their 
children. Families earning up to 100% of the 
federal poverty level may be eligible. The program 
serves pregnant women, as well as infants and 
toddlers. To locate federal poverty level 
guidelines, visit http://www.dhs.pa.gov. 



IMPORTANT INFORMATION

 Phone: For information on these programs, call the 
Office of Child Development and Early 
Learning (717) 346-9320 


Website: To locate an Early Head Start program 
near you: 

http://paheadstart.org/index.php/head-start-in-
pa/local-head-start-information 


For more information on Home Visiting Programs, 
visit: 
http://www.dhs.pa.gov/citizens/
childcareearlylearning/index.htm 


 Age Range: Age ranges are listed below. 

. Nurse Family Partnership: First pregnancy to age 
2 
. Healthy Families America: Prenatal/birth to age 
3-5 
. Parents as Teachers: Pregnancy to Kindergarten 
. Early Head Start: Pregnant women, as well as 
infants and toddlers 


 Eligibility: Eligibility requirements are listed below. 

. Nurse Family Partnership: First-Time mothers 
from low-income families 
. Healthy Families America: History of trauma, 
mental health issues, and/or substance abuse 
issues 
. Parents as Teachers: At-Risk families 
(See program description) 
. Early Head Start: Pregnant women, low-income 
families, families earning up to 100% of the federal 
poverty level 


Tom Wolf, Governor