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Description
The aim of the project is the Adoption and Training of Nurse-Family Partnership Program in Lithuania. To achieve this goal, a Family Attendance Model for Early Intervention will be developed. To ensure the success of the project, the training program will be developed for nurses and midwives to provide early intervention services for women who are pregnant, have given birth or are raising children under the age of 2. The training program selects motivated, communicative and empathetic professionals whose personal qualities will help ensure the success of the project. The team of these specialists will be constantly consulted and supervised.This project will implement the first initiative in Lithuania to help families, especially from vulnerable groups, to develop parenting skills, help create a safe environment for children, and change the ''cultural - historical'' awareness of childcare and upbringing. This project will create a patient-centered service, raise awareness of families and take responsibility for the health and safety of their families and children. The project is expected to reduce the risk of gestational hypertension in pregnant women by 27% and reduce the risk of preterm birth to 37 weeks by 28%. Experience in other countries shows that this model reduces 60% of neonatal mortality, 31% reduces the likelihood of a second pregnancy within 2 years after the first birth, shows 38% decrease in cases when children are hospitalized due to injuries, and 31% less child abuse (4-15 years old), 46% decrease in youth (15-17 years) arrests for criminal activities.
Pregnant women, women giving birth and raising children up to 2 years of age will benefit directly from the project. The indirect benefit of the project will be felt by their families and their immediate environment as well as by the communities of all municipalities involved in the project.
Summary of project results
The Family Home Visiting Early Intervention Services Model Program is an evidence-based nursing model. Nurses and midwives visit families expecting their first child and having increased social needs. Family home visiting specialists work with families in their homes, paying special attention to the physical and mental health of the mother, and monitoring the health and development of the child. The aim of the project was to adapt a training program and train highly motivated specialists, who will provide quality services for mothers and help them take adequate decisions regarding their child’s care and to involve at least 10 municipalities that will provide services to families waiting for their child or for families from vulnerable environments, striving to ensure a safe environment and promote lifestyle changes from risky behavior to less risky behavior. Services also include family planning, mothers'' return to the labor market after childbirth, utilization of community resources, and pursuit of economic self-sufficiency.
During the project implementation period, a postgraduate training program “Family Home Visiting Early Intervention Services” was developed. According to this training program, 22 family home visiting specialists were trained, who provided services in 11 Lithuanian municipalities: Vilnius, Kaunas, Marijampolė, Telšiai, Šiauliai, Klaipėda, Plungė, Pakruojis, Ukmergė, Rokiškis, and Elektrėnai.
Family home visiting were intensive: during pregnancy, families were visited 14 times, from birth until the child turns one year old – 28 times, and from one year old until the child turns two years old – 22 times. While visiting, specialists fill out special documentation and visit forms, which were created considering the best practices of other countries providing this service and the peculiarities of the Lithuanian healthcare system. During each visit, the family home visiting specialist collected information according to the form prepared for that visit, and assessed changes in family behavior and home environment, focusing on the weakest area. Three areas assessed: care provision (my health; my child), decision making and support (caring for the child), social and community resources (my family and friends; my home).
The training programme was developed, specialists trained and during the project implementation time services were provided to 325 families, which were visited by family home visiting specialists from pregnancy until the child turned 2 years old.
From 2024, family home visiting services will be funded by the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund in 11 municipalities that implemented pilot projects. From 2025, these services will become available to residents of all Lithuanian municipalities.