Children's Health Involving Parents (CHIP) improves the lives of families through a proven model that includes mentoring, education and behavioral health services in the home. We teach parents how to be confident and effective, resulting in children who are healthy and ready for school. Ultimately, this builds successful, independent families strengthening the Greater Richmond community.

For the 2008-2009 program year, CHIP served 375 families with 817 children. Of these, 186 families with 338 children were newly enrolled. Registered Nurses, Outreach Workers and Mental Health Clinicians completed 4,561 home and office visits to families. CHIP also made 2,240 trips to transport families to medical, social services, and other appointments.

As stated above, CHIP works with parents to ensure that their children are healthy and ready for school. All of the key indicators shown below directly contribute to school readiness.

Key Indicator Results

• Primary Care Provider: 12% → 96%
  Of the children under age six enrolled at least six months, 96% (356/370) have a regular source of health care with a primary care provider. At enrollment, only 12% had a primary care provider.
• Health Insurance: 72% → 98%
  Of the children under age six enrolled at least six months, 98% (361/370) have health insurance. At enrollment, only 72% had insurance.
• Immunization Status: 23% → 96%
  Of the children under age six enrolled at least six months, 96% (354/370) are up to date or on track with immunizations. At enrollment, only 23% were up to date or on track.
• Dental Care Provider: 72%
  Of the children ages 1 to 6 enrolled at least six months, 72% (242/338) have a dental care provider.
• Emergency Room Visits for Children with Asthma: 28 visits → 5 visits
  We served 171 asthmatic children in the 2008-2009 program year. These children had an 82% reduction in emergency room use in the first 12 months of CHIP service (reduced from 28 to 5 visits), compared to their ER visits during the 12 months prior to enrollment.
• Hospital Stays for Children with Asthma: 24 stays → 1 stay
  These children also had a 96% reduction in hospitalizations in the first 12 months of CHIP service (reduced from 24 to 1 visit), compared to their hospitalizations during the 12 months prior to enrollment.
• Birth Spacing for Women: 6% poor spacing
  Of women enrolled in CHIP for at least 12 months, only 6% had poor birth spacing (less than 24 months between births).
• Infant Birth Weight: 94% full-term weight
  Of the pregnant women enrolled in CHIP at least four months before delivery, 94% (15/16) delivered babies at normal, full-term weight (5 lbs. 8 oz. or more). The one low birth weight baby was born prematurely at 7 months.
• Preschool Enrollment: 66% enrolled
  Of the preschool-aged children (3-5 years) enrolled in CHIP at least six months, 66% (117/178) are enrolled in a center-based program, Early Head Start or Head Start.
• PAT Participation: Services delivered to 236 children from 140 families
  The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program provides targeted activities and teachings for each month of a child's life, from the months before birth up until age 6.

CHIP's Board and staff recently developed a Strategic Plan to guide activities over the next five years (2009-2014). As part of this plan, they will broaden the outcomes in the three key areas of family health, school readiness and economic stability.