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California Home Visiting Program (CHVP)

HomeStory: Stories from the California Home Visiting Program

Home visiting is a voluntary program that pairs pregnant and newly parenting women with a nurse or trained professional who makes regular visits in the participantā€™s home to provide guidance, coaching and access to prenatal care and other health and social services. Home visiting is preventive intervention focused on promoting positive parenting and child development, with the ultimate goal of strengthening families and communities. For more information about home visiting, visit California Home Visiting Program.

Our Digital Stories
Evelyn's story

Eighteen-year-old Evelyn enrolled in home visiting and met her public health nurse, Maritza. The nurse visited Evelyn and taught her about breastfeeding and parenting. Maritza also helped the young mom identify educational and career goalsā€”and steps to achieve them. Many times, Evelyn wanted to give up, but Maritza continued to encourage her. "It gave me motivation to keep going," says Evelyn, who is now a registered dental assistant and new home owner.

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Shenise's story

Home visiting nurse Raychelle was concerned when she met with her client, 16-year-old Shenise. "I saw her face looking very puffy," Raychelle says, noting that she immediately took Shenise's blood pressure and found it was very high. Raychelle suspected a dangerous pregnancy-related condition called preeclampsia. That was over eight years ago, and today, Shenise's mom Ebony says home visiting "saved my daughter."

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Arlin's story

Arlin and her fiancƩ, Dominic, had a thriving business building tiny houses. Arlin was pregnant, and life was good. When Arlin suffered a late miscarriage, followed by another pregnancy, she was grateful to have the ongoing support of her home visiting nurse. "Without this program, I would have had no guidance of being pregnant, let alone coping with my tragedy," Arlin said. This is her story.

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Carmel's story

As a child and teen, Carmel had been homeless and living in foster care. When she became pregnant at age 18, she knew she wanted a different life for her daughter. Carmel enrolled in Sacramento Countyā€™s home visiting program and met Angelica, her home visiting nurse. Angelica helped Carmel identify and make strides toward her goals, one of which included employment with Costco to gain financial stability.

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Shannon's Story

Closing in on college graduation, Darlynn credits her home visiting nurse, Jill,  with helping her deal with an unexpected pregnancy when she was just 18 years old. Jill's encouragement, support and and resources helped Darlynn reach her educational goals to become self-sufficient and a great mom!

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Shannon's Story

When we shared Shannon's HomeStory in 2016, she had completed the program and credited her home visitor, Jan, for encouraging her to go to college. One year later, we went back to see how Shannon was doing, and are pleased to present her ongoing progress and many new achievements in life!

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Ivory's Story

Ivory's pregnancy was already considered high risk - so when she found out she was having twins, she turned to Riverside County's home visiting program for support. Ivory's home visiting nurse, Raychelle, helped the young mom-to-be monitor her health and the health of her babies throughout her pregnancy and beyond.

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Faraha's Story

Faraha enrolled in home visiting program to have an at-home nurse help her with her high-risk pregnancy and learn parenting skills. This teen mom also learned ways to realize her educational and career aspirations.

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Ebony's Story

When Ebony's 16-year-old daughter, Shenise, became pregnant in 2009, Ebony encouraged her to enroll in home visiting. What they and their home visitor, Raychelle, could not foresee was the profound impact that decision would have on Ebony's entire family.

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Brittiney's Story

A year ago, Brittiney had given up. Fast forward to this family of five now settled in a home of their own. Not only is Brittiney employed, but she has found her "calling" in her work at a local homeless shelter.

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Keelah's Story

The first thing you notice about Keelah is her smile. It brightens the room and makes you feel instantly happy and at ease. She openly talks about her "miracle baby" Makaylah, who was born after multiple miscarriages. This pregnancy outcome was differentā€”and this time around, Keelah had CHVP on her side.

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Stephanie's Story

Stephanie, in a soft English accent, sweetly reads to her son about a fish named Amelia that was bullied. At just 2 years old, the toddler is too young to know that his mother authored and illustrated the book.

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Rodney's Story

Retired San Diego County social worker Rodney Bates now volunteers his time to offer professional quality photographs for the region's home visiting program.

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Monique's Story

When Monique's daughter, Brooklyn, was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome, the new mother turned to her home visitor, Stacey, for guidance and assistance in accessing services.

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Linda's Story

A young mother who endured homelessness, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse and adverse conditions is now in a safe home with goals to go to college - thanks to her home visitor, Rosendo.

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Angelica's Story

This story profiles a teen mom who, with assistance from her home visiting nurse, finished high school and then enrolled in a nursing assistant program where she is getting straight A's.

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Cristy's Story

Cristy is a former home visiting participant who now teaches infant massage and child development classes. This HomeStory highlights Cristy's reaching out to others as she learned information about pregnancy and infants from her home visiting nurse.

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Shannon's Story

Shannon chokes up when she delves into her past: a family legacy of drug and alcohol abuse, a victim of domestic violence, a husband in jail, three young children and no income or home, and then losing custody of her kids.

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Tell Us Your Story

MCAH Communications

PO Box 997420, MS 8300
Sacramento, CA 95899-7420
HomeStory@cdph.ca.gov

(866) 241-0395 (Phone)
(916) 650-0305 (Fax)
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