The Healthy Babies Healthy Children (HBHC) program provides home visiting services to pregnant individuals, and families with children from birth up to their transition to school, who are experiencing risks which may impact healthy child development and parenting, and who may benefit from additional support. Client consent is required as HBHC is a voluntary program.
The purpose of Healthy Babies Healthy Children is to help children get a healthy start in life through:
- Screening and assessment to identify families that may benefit from additional support.
- Blended-model, early intervention home visiting services delivered by public health nurses and lay home visitors to build family strengths, and to address and minimize risk factors where possible.
- Referrals to, and support to connect with, other community programs and services.
The home visiting team works in collaboration with the client and family to address the family’s goals and to provide support around any of the following areas:
- Healthy pregnancies
- Infant and young child feeding
- Healthy growth and development
- Adjustment to parenthood
- Parental health and well-being
- Healthy relationships
- Child and family safety
- Accessing community supports
- And more…
All postpartum clients are offered the opportunity to be screened and referred to the HBHC program prior to being discharged from the hospital.
However, referral into the program can occur prenatally or following the post-partum period by self-referral or third-party referral.
For self-referral, pregnant parents and families with children can call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to speak with a Public Health Nurse about the HBHC program.
Referrals from third parties, including health care and social service providers, are accepted with client consent. To refer a client, fully complete the HBHC screen and send by fax to 705 734 9265.
Please note referral to the program does not guarantee home visiting service for clients. All referrals will be further assessed for eligibility by our HBHC Public Health Nurses. Eligible clients will have the opportunity to speak with a Public Health Nurse. At that time, they will be offered to initiate participation in our home visiting program and/or be referred to other relevant community programs and services to best meet their needs. The referring provider will receive a communication indicating whether or not the client has initiated the program.
Although the HBHC program strives to see all eligible clients and families in a timely manner, during times of increased demand and/or decreased staffing capacity, eligible clients may experience a delay after intake into the program before home visiting services can begin. Clients will be provided with information and referrals to other appropriate community services and resources to meet their urgent needs at the time of the intake assessment should a delay in home visiting occur.
The Indigenous Healthy Babies Healthy Children program is also available to help Indigenous children start a healthy life in ways that honour and respect Indigenous culture and beliefs. The Indigenous HBHC program is offered in communities across Ontario, and is delivered through a variety of Indigenous service providers:
