Family Spirit is a culturally tailored home visiting program developed in partnership with American Indian communities to support young parents (I2-22 years old) and promote healthy development of their children.

Key Features of Family Spirit

• Structured curriculum taught by health educators to young mothers from pregnancy to 36 months postpartum
• Developed with Native communities for Native communities
  
• Recognized as evidence-based intervention and best practice by the U. S. & is under consideration in Canada
• Design to be inclusive of all family members
  

Target Setting: Home

• Overcomes transportation barriers
• Taps into family as the nexus of strength
• Can include others who are involved in child-rearing: fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other siblings

Curriculum Topics

• Goal-setting
• Strengths of Native culture/traditions in child-rearing
• Prenatal care
• Infant care
• Parenting skills
  
• Substance use prevention
• Child development
• Maternal life skills
  

Outcomes for Participants

PARENTING

• Increased maternal knowledge
• Increased parent self-efficacy
• Reduced parent stress
• Improved home safety attitudes

MATERNAL OUTCOMES

• Decreased maternal depression
• Decreased substance abuse
• Fewer behavior problems in mothers

CHILD OUTCOMES

• Fewer behavior problems in children through age 3
• Predicts lower risk of substance abuse and behavior problems thru lifetime
• Family Spirit Findings