This online learning portal was designed to EXPAND resources available to service providers and families in West Virginia (WV) and similar rural settings. Inside, you will find information that contributes to the national Rural Health Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive (IMPACT), which is funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA).

What is IMPACT?

IMPACT is a two-generational way of thinking that creates opportunities for children AND their parents or other caregivers TOGETHER. This approach coordinates programs and services that address barriers to care such as poverty and geographic isolation that can have an impact on children's health and future development. Thinking about the whole family highlights the importance of the family in shaping children's health and future.

Happy and satisfied parents
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Happy and satisfied children
a graphic wiht the flow from child-focused to child focused with parent elements to whole family on one side with parent-focused to parent-focused with cild elements back to whole-family

The goal of IMPACT WV is to provide services shown to work for parents and children (birth to age 3) and create economic opportunities for their families at the same time. This includes:

  • Ensuring that rural children and their families can access critical health, development, education, and family services that are coordinated;
  • Improving early identification and intervention for high-risk families who have experienced events related to depression and other mental health issues, substance use, limited resources (e.g., housing, utilities), and violence; and
  • Developing and implementing services for everyone in the family to encourage a healthy environment for all.

The IMPACT WV project is the Appalachian Rural Health Integration Model (AHRIM) grant funded to improve the quality of services to reduce health disparities of children impacted by substance use. IMPACT WV is working with communities to create opportunities and address needs of children diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) or exposed to substances in utero.

The program's goal is to improve the health and well-being of children diagnosed with NAS, women who were, or are, using substances, and their families who receive services from home visiting programs.

For more information about the AHRIM, visit research.cedwvu.org

Two-Generational Approach

IMPACT WV has partnered with Ascend at the Aspen Institute to join a national network of practitioners, policymakers and researchers advancing two-generation approaches for whole-family outcomes.

ASCEND resources:

Who is Expected to Use This?

  • Service providers from a variety of backgrounds (e.g., medical and mental health, counselors, social workers, child care, home visitation teams)
  • Families of young children
  • General public

Each person can access different levels of information based on their previous training and experiences reported during the registration process. People in WV and other rural settings throughout the United States are expected to continue to use this tool to fill gaps in their training and understanding across issues faced by families of young children.

IMPACT WV has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this website at time of upload.