Home Visits Bring Healthcare to Latina Moms, Families

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Many Latino families will get health-boosting “home visits” thanks to $352 million in new federal funding.

The Maternal Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV Program) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will award $352 million to 55 groups across the country.

The groups will visit the homes of at-need families to bring health, social, and early childhood development services to improve family health and enable new opportunities for their children.

“Evidence-based home visiting programs help children get off to a better, healthier start,” said Dr. George Sigounas, HRSA administrator, in a press release.

“[These] awards allow states to support local agencies in providing home visiting services that meet the needs of families in their own communities.”

Home Visits to Help Families

Over 3 million home visits have been conducted by the home visiting program. Most of the families in the program live below the federal poverty limit, across all 50 states.

promotora promotoresFamilies with children in kindergarten and younger are eligible for home visits.

The program aims to provide regular, planned home visits.

Parents and/or pregnant women get necessary resources and skills to raise children to be physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready to learn when they enter school, such as:

  • support for preventive health and prenatal practices
  • help how best to breastfeed and care for their babies
  • help understanding child development milestones and behaviors,
  • education on use of praise and other positive parenting techniques
  • help to set goals for the future, continue their education, and find employment and child care solutions.

“In these voluntary programs, trained nurses, social workers, early childhood educators, or other trained professionals meet regularly with expectant parents or families with young children in their homes, building strong, positive relationships with families who want and need support,” said Dr. Michael Lu, Associate Administrator for Maternal and Child Health at HRSA.

“[It] helps parents and caregivers connect with services and resources and improve the skills they need to support their families’ well-being and provide the best opportunities for their children,” Dr. Lu said.

Home Visits and Latinos

Among the funding recipients, several are located in Latino-populated areas:

  • Arizona Department of Health Services in Phoenix, AZ (41.3% Latino population)
  • Colorado Department of Human Services in Denver, CO (30.94%)
  • Nevada Department of Health and Human Services in Carson City, NV (22.65%)
  • New Mexico Department of Children, Youth, and Families in Santa Fe, NM (54.08%)
  • Department of Health in San Juan, PR (98.15%)

Home visits are important for Latinos for many reasons.

Check out how Vida Sana, a health agency in Colorado, developed a unique door-to-door promotores program to reduce Latino barriers to healthcare.

Learn more about Latinos & Family Support here:

  • At-risk residents get a cooking class you can take home for dinner #SaludHeroes #SaludCenter http://salud.to/2wEdJ5t
  • Stories of Latino Community Health Workers: “It’s Just an Honest Care She Has for the People.” #SaludPromotores http://salud.to/2vWqozM
  • New grant funds promotoras in Sacramento #SaludSupport #SaludPromotores http://salud.to/2ytPw2n

By The Numbers By The Numbers

84

percent

of Latino parents support public funding for afterschool programs

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