Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center - Avera Family Wellness Program

Overview

A partnership with the Sioux Falls School District, the Avera Family Wellness Program (AFWP) provides wellness activities for young children and family coaching for their parents at no cost. Preschool children enrolled in early childhood HeadStart and Title I programs at Hayward and Garfield Elementary Schools are involved four days a week in Suzuki-like violin lessons, and parents and children receive therapy and psychiatric services for mental health wellness. Family health coaches work with families to encourage consistent positive parenting and structured discipline techniques. The family health coach is a source of information and support, which can assist parents to improve their families’ health and wellness, and hone their parenting skills. As a clinical research project, the program also includes tracking children’s behaviors from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year by the parent perspective and the teacher perspective. The results of this comparison tests different approaches to treatment and prevention strategies, as well as ways to enrich the lives of children and their families.

Impact

The 2010-2011 program found that preschool children in the program evidenced a decrease in total behavioral problems, particularly in the area of aggression, when compared with a control group of their peers as measured by the Teacher Report Form. Data for 2012 reported by the Sioux Falls School District regarding 251 children who have been active in the AFWP for one year or more indicate increased attendance, reduced disciplinary referrals, and parents actively engaged in support services. This data supports that the AFWP in partnership with the Sioux Falls School District provides support and strategies that enable children of families with risk factors to participate in school. It also supports the continued development of social emotional skills that allows children to have optimum opportunity for success in their educational setting.

Challenges/success factors

One of the most significant challenges experienced in the program is keeping in touch with the parents. Some of the families are transient and move frequently. In addition, most of the families’ primary source of communication is through texting from their cell phones. When they run out of minutes on their cell phone plan, they may change numbers. Unless the family’s health coach is able to keep up with phone number changes, they may lose contact with the family.

Future direction/sustainability

The program is currently in its fourth year and has expanded to serve more than 400 children and families. Through donations made from a number of community philanthropists to the Avera McKennan Foundation and additional funding from Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, the program aims to follow children and families for a minimum of five years to determine how early treatment may impact their emotional health and wellness in later years.

Advice to others

One of the keys to early intervention is to develop a partnership with the local school district. Many children attend preschool, and almost all children attend a kindergarten program, making accessing children and their families at the school level a key component of this program.

Contact: Julie Fieldsend
Project Leader, Avera Research Institute
Telephone: 605-322-3072
E-mail: Julie.fieldsend@avera.org