CHILDREN'S TRUST INC

HEALTHY FAMILIES MASSACHUSETTS (HFM):HEALTHY FAMILIES IS A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED EVIDENCE-BASED STATEWIDE NEWBORN HOME VISITING PROGRAM FOR FIRST-TIME PARENTS AGES 23 AND UNDER. THE EVALUATION COMPONENT OF THE HFM PROGRAM, CONDUCTED BY TUFTS UNIVERSITY, IS FUNDED, IN PART, BY CHILDREN'S TRUST. A RIGOROUS RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL (RCT) CONDUCTED BY TUFTS SHOWS THAT THE PROGRAM IS LOWERING PARENTS' RISKY BEHAVIORS, CHILDREN'S EXPOSURE TO TRAUMATIC EVENTS, AND SECOND REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. THE PROGRAM ALSO LOWERS PARTICIPANT'S PARENTING STRESS AND SHOWS BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PARENTS AND BABIES. HFM ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AMONG PARTICIPANTS AND PROMOTES CO-PARENTING RELATIONSHIPS THAT ACTIVELY INVOLVE FATHERS. PARENTS ENROLLED IN THE HFM PROGRAM HAVE ACCESS TO STRONGER CONNECTIONS TO OTHER FIRST-TIME PARENTS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES.DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, HEALTHY FAMILIES MASSACHUSETTS PROGRAMS COMPLETED PLAN DO STUDY ACT CYCLES (PDSAS) TO TEST NEW PROGRAM STRATEGIES TO INCREASE PERFORMANCE ACROSS FOUR CHILDREN'S TRUST PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MEASURES. NOTABLE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE: -HFM PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE LONG-TERM SERVICES WITH A MINIMUM OF 15 MONTHS OF SERVICE AT DISCHARGE: 13% INCREASE BETWEEN FY24 AND FY25.-HFM PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE AT LEAST 5 HOME VISITS BEFORE DISCHARGE: 10% INCREASE BETWEEN FY24 AND FY25.-HFM PAANTS GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE CHILD'S AGE: 9% INCREASE BETWEEN FY24 AND FY25.-HFM PROGRAMS DOCUMENTED CHEERS IN AT LEAST TWO DOMAINS AT EACH VISIT AFTER THE FIRST TRIMESTER: 6% INCREASE BETWEEN FY24 AND FY25.

CSAP:THE CHILDREN'S TRUST OF MASSACHUSETTS LEADS THE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION (CSAP) PROGRAM TO EMPOWER COMMUNITIES, YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, AND SCHOOLS WITH EVIDENCE-BASED, ADULT-FOCUSED STRATEGIES. THIS PROGRAM: (I) BUILDS LOCAL COALITIONS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING CHILDREN AND PREVENTING ABUSE; (II) RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND CERTIFIES VOLUNTEERS TO DELIVER FREE, ACCESSIBLE PREVENTION EDUCATION FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND PROFESSIONALS; AND (III) STRENGTHENS PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN BY ENHANCING EMPLOYEE SCREENING PRACTICES, CREATING CLEAR CODES OF CONDUCT, DESIGNING SAFER PHYSICAL SPACES, ADDRESSING AND REPORTING CONCERNING BEHAVIORS, AND PROVIDING STAFF AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING TO PREVENT ABUSE BY ADULTS AND BETWEEN CHILDREN. THESE EFFORTS AIM TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN MASSACHUSETTS CAN GROW UP SAFE AND SUPPORTED.IN FY25, THE CHILDREN'S TRUST OF MASSACHUSETTS' CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION (CSAP) PROGRAMTRAINED 1,063 ATTENDEES, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SKILLS TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND PREVENT ABUSE. OUR ONLINE RESOURCES REACHED 115,094 TOTAL USERS, 27,573 OF THEM IN MASSACHUSETTS, GENERATING OVER 6,000 RESOURCE DOWNLOADS. WE EXPANDED OUR PREVENTION NETWORK BY TRAINING 23 NEW TRAINERS AS COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS. ADDITIONALLY, WE ALLOCATED $1.1 MILLION OF OUR $2.35 MILLION STATE APPROPRIATIONTO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, REINFORCING OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING SAFER ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL CHILDREN IN MASSACHUSETTS.