Implementing Home Visiting in Native Communities: A Report from the Multi-Site Implementation Evaluation of Tribal Home Visiting

MUSE was funded to describe how Tribal MIECHV grant recipients developed and implemented their programs across varied Native community contexts and to identify factors leading to successful program implementation. This report shares results and implications from the evaluation, with a primary focus on how Tribal MIECHV grant recipients implemented their programs, highlighting practices and experiences that can inform communities developing, enhancing, or sustaining home visiting services.

MUSE, the first-multi-site, multi-model evaluation of home visiting in tribal communities, helps build the evidence base for home visiting in Native communities. Key findings from the study:

• Tribal MIECHV programs were successfully reaching AIAN caregivers during the study period. Overall, caregivers entered the program with high levels of social support and felt they had the skills necessary to be good parents, especially with support from their families and communities.
• Caregivers were generally satisfied with the frequency and duration of visits and reported positive experiences, especially valuing support directly related to parenting.
• Home visitors tailored how they delivered home visits in meaningful and impactful ways. They spent the most time providing emotional support and delivering curriculum content. Child development, parent-child interaction, and caregiver stress and well-being were frequent topics.
• Shared background and knowledge of cultural norms, language, and context benefited home visitor-caregiver relationships. Their shared experience as parents also fostered mutual respect.
• Home visitors reported high levels of confidence in their ability to carry out many different activities during home visits and to address a wide range of topics with families. They viewed their work within the community as valuable and meaningful.