"I Felt Supported, Empowered, and Encouraged": Early Findings from a Community Initiative to Strengthen and Support Families Through the First 1,000 Days of Life.

Abstract

Evaluation of the First 1,000 Days Suncoast Family Navigation program aimed to (1) describe the social needs of families in Southwest Florida and (2) measure the program's impact on client-reported mental health and social support outcomes. A multi-method design was employed, including quantitative data collected through an online social care referral network and longitudinal surveys, supplemented by qualitative key informant interview data. A convenience sample of 538 parents who submitted online assistance request forms to First 1,000 Days between August 2020 and January 2024 were included. Phone surveys were conducted from October 2022 to October 2023 with a subset of individuals (n=33) at three timepoints: (1) initial intake; (2) 30 days; and (3) 60 days after receiving assistance. Key informant interviews were conducted (n = 20) to explore the themes of parental coping and resilience. Parents reported statistically significant improvements in concrete and social support networks. We observed an average reduction in perceived stress scores of 3.88 points by 30 days and of 4.82 points by 60 days post intervention. The number of unhealthy mental health days per month was reduced from 9.9 to 6.0 days per month. Social care technology paired with family navigation support demonstrates the potential for long-term impact on the quality of life, well-being, and self-sufficiency. These early results make a compelling case for incorporating social care coordination services into clinical practice to achieve improved patient outcomes.