View Research by Author - Fiona Adams

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This report summarizes the results of a literature review of recent family planning service delivery research (2003-2011) and presents areas for further research recommended by leading experts in the field. Identified research priorities include studies focused on various family planning models, best practices for contraceptive counseling, interactions between contraceptive counseling/care and chronic diseases, and research focused on the family planning needs of specific age groups. Continued consideration of the research landscape, increased collaborative efforts across funding agencies, and the replication of agenda-setting exercises will be critical to ensuring the growth and relevance of the field.

Focus groups held with parents, home visitors, and community stakeholders revealed that Best Start LA, a place-based community investment in Los Angeles County designed to improve the well-being, development, and care experienced in children ages five and under, continued to receive strong support during its third year of implementation. Mothers receiving Welcome Baby! home visiting expressed great appreciation of the support the program provides. Home visitors described positive changes to the Welcome Baby! model that increased their ability to serve and retain mothers. Stakeholders similarly reported positive developments in community mobilization efforts, but continue to look for ways to become more efficient and effective.

Best Start LA-a place-based investment designed to improve the well-being, development and care experienced by children ages five and under-has gained momentum in its third year and become more firmly established in the downtown Los Angeles pilot community, according to the third case study of a longitudinal evaluation of the initiative. Home visiting through Welcome Baby! has emerged as the strongest intervention being implemented through Best Start LA in the "pilot community" and could serve as a model throughout Los Angeles County. Community-level investments have also become more productive, as evidenced by the funding of two rounds of "collaborative partner" grants supporting a range of strategies to enhance community services and supports. Systems-level work has been deemphasized in the past year to allow for more focus on promising Welcome Baby! and community strategies.

Over the first decade of the 21st century the role of risk-based managed health care for publicly insured beneficiaries has expanded substantially. This report examines this form of health care delivery in 20 states for both Medicaid and CHIP non-elderly adults and children, including people with disabilities. The 20 states were chosen because they include over 80 percent of both Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries who are enrolled in risk-based managed care. Findings are based on interviews with state Medicaid and CHIP officials, as well as representatives from 40 Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) serving Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, and 40 health care providers or provider organizations. In addition, the report contains published data from various sources, including measures of access to care, quality of care, and satisfaction with care over the study period (2001-2010).

With less than two years to go before the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, the State of Colorado is reasonably well positioned. A bipartisan foundation was built before the ACA became law, and stakeholders have largely worked collaboratively to begin putting various required policies and structures in place. Adopting a "Colorado-specific" version of health reform has been critical for state policymakers in responding to the ACA, and was a key factor in the successful passage of exchange legislation. Strong leadership, bipartisan political support, and continued aggressive action will be needed for Colorado to succeed in implementing reform on time.

Best Start LA is a place-based community investment in Los Angeles County designed to improve the well-being, development, and care experienced in children ages five and under. Focus groups with parents, home visitors, and community members -reveal that the investment is off to a good start. Mothers receiving "Welcome Baby!" home visiting were very satisfied with the education and support the service provides. Home visitors described the close bonds they form with their clients, but also feel that the program's model doesn't always meet families' extensive needs. Stakeholders involved in community mobilization efforts were excited about their early progress and shared vision for parents as the leaders.

A case study of the initial implementation of Best Start LA-a place-based community investment in Los Angeles County designed to improve the well-being, development, and care experienced by children ages five and under-finds mostly positive results, thus far. At the family level, home visiting for pregnant and parenting mothers is off to a strong start, rendering services to nearly 750 families by the end of 2010. Community-level efforts to mobilize community members and develop family-support strategies have been slower to develop. Systems-level investments to develop family-friendly policies and services across the county are proceeding on schedule.

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