Home-based services program: Effectiveness with at risk families

Investigated family-centered, home-based services, using a secondary analysis of an existing database. Focus was on how collective characteristics of the 45 families (divided into high- and low-risk groups) studied affected success or failure in these programs. Client characteristics were drawn from personal, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Characteristics of high-risk families included having 2 or more children, living in the city, being on a welfare program, and having a history of sexual or domestic abuse, child neglect, chemical dependency, or mental illness. The family-centered, home-based program was effective in preventing placement for both high- and low-risk groups. A significant difference was found between pre- and postplacement family functioning of families who participated in the program.