HIPPY US requires that HIPPY affiliate sites have two primary staff positions: (1) peer home visitors, who deliver the curriculum to their assigned parents each week, and (2) a full-time professional coordinator, who oversees the day-to-day implementation of the HIPPY program, supervises home visitors, plans and organizes group meetings, and provides ongoing coaching to the home visitors. Affiliate sites must also have an organizational supervisor who oversees the professional coordinator.
HIPPY US requires professional coordinators to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, elementary education, family or adult education, social work, or a related field. Professional coordinators must also have strong training, leadership, communication, organizational, and administrative skills, as well as knowledge of the needs and interests of families in underserved communities. A member of the program community is preferred.
HIPPY US requires that home visitors be recruited from the target community and have a child of HIPPY-appropriate age or have access to a child with whom they can engage in the HIPPY curriculum to practice and master their skills. Home visitors must have a minimum of a high school diploma, but HIPPY US encourages affiliate sites to require some form of postsecondary education, such as a Child Development Associate credential, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree.
Professional coordinators are responsible for the ongoing supervision and training of home visitors. HIPPY US requires that professional coordinators create and update a professional development plan for each home visitor that includes, but is not limited to, overall performance and short- and long-term career goals. Professional coordinators are required to provide weekly, ongoing supervision for home visitors that includes review of required paperwork and professional development plans and comprehensive discussions about general home visiting challenges. Professional coordinators observe each home visitor three times a year. Although these observations primarily serve supervision purposes, professional coordinators are trained and encouraged to address any areas of service delivery that are not being implemented with fidelity.
HIPPY US expects that the professional coordinator’s organization will provide the professional coordinator with supervision and support. The organizational supervisors are required to attend the portion of the professional coordinators pre-service training focused on supervision. The state HIPPY offices or the director of the independent sites (sites operating in states where there is no state office) provide ongoing support to professional coordinators through meetings, trainings, visits, webinars, and one-on-one communications.
Home visitors are required to participate in three days of on-site training. For new programs, the training is conducted by a national trainer; in subsequent years, the professional coordinator provides the training utilizing the same training modules and concepts. HIPPY US requires professional coordinators to complete the multiday HIPPY pre-service professional coordinator training successfully before starting a new program or taking on the coordination of an existing program. HIPPY US requires organizational supervisors to complete the supervision part of the coordinators' pre-service training within one year of joining an affiliate site. Please contact the model developer for additional information about the pre-service training requirements.
Professional coordinators are required to hold weekly in-service staff meetings for home visitors during which they model and discuss the educational concepts and activities in the upcoming week’s lesson and challenges that home visitors might experience when serving families. The home visitors role-play the week’s lesson under the direction of the professional coordinator.
HIPPY US requires that professional coordinators and home visitors receive at least 15 hours of comprehensive job-related training annually. Affiliate sites must ensure staff have access to trainings and professional development, including those offered internally, statewide, or through HIPPY US. At the affiliate’s discretion, the 15-hour minimum requirement can include professional development offered at the HIPPY US national conference, which provides attendees with a minimum of 12 to 15 hours of professional development and educational workshops. Please contact the model developer for additional information about the ongoing professional development requirements.
