Children's Health Investment Program of South Hampton Roads

Children’s Health Investment Program (CHIP of South Hampton Roads, or “CHIP") is a 501(c)(3) non-profit integrated model program. The agency, part of the Comprehensive Health Investment Program of Virginia, focuses on improvement of children’s health through insuring that low-income children have medical homes and provision of resources and support services for their families. Incorporated in 1998, CHIP serves children, prenatal through age six, and their families in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. The mission of CHIP is to build a healthy community by building healthy children. The agency strives to fulfill this mission by providing a continuum of support, education, and referral services to young children and their families. Specific services include children’s health assessments and health education, developmental screenings and referrals, and one-on-one and group parent education. CHIP’s vision is that all children enter school healthy and ready to learn and succeed.

CHIP’s hallmark program is its home visitation-based Case Management services for families with young children. A Registered Nurse – Parent Educator team visits clients in their homes to provide a variety of services so parents have the knowledge and techniques they need to ensure that their children enter school healthy and ready to learn. A key component of the home visits is the implementation of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program, which utilizes a research-based curriculum for home visiting that increases parent knowledge of early childhood development and improves parenting practices, provides early detection of developmental delays and health issues, prevents child abuse and neglect, and increases children's school readiness and school success. Our program is free and voluntary. Other activities of CHIP include monthly group prenatal education, a Hispanic Outreach Program, and the sleeptight safe sleep and crib distribution program