$17 million to Help Federal Home Visiting Program

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Healthcare truly begins during childhood. For many Latinos, developing healthy habits can be difficult as many barriers are in place that prevent them from receiving and obtaining quality healthcare. Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $17 million in funding for the Federal Home Visiting Program.

The mission of the program is to give pregnant women and families, particularly those considered at-risk, necessary resources and skills to raise children who are physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready to learn. The funding will support the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which operates the program.

“These funds aim to develop and implement innovations targeted to home visiting program delivery needs and to generate and disseminate new knowledge in the field,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Jim Macrae. “The nine awardees will work with other grantees so in the end these funds will have impact in thirteen states.”

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The goals of the program are to improve maternal and child health, prevent child abuse and neglect, encourage positive parenting, and promote child development and school readiness. These are considered the “essential foundations in early childhood” and are crucial to future healthy development and well-being.

The funds will be dispersed to programs in 13 states; each awardee proposed an innovation that in their operations in at least one of four key areas: recruitment, engagement, and retention, staff development, coordination with other community resources, and implementation of effective processes.

“Such innovations provide a significant next step in strengthening home visiting services,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Mark Greenberg. “Efforts include developing a community model for tribal communities; supporting clients with mental health needs by employing home visitation; and using a two-generation approach to education and employment for vulnerable children and their parents or caregivers.”

By participating in local home visiting programs, families receive help from health, social service, and child development professionals. Through regular, planned home visits, parents learn how to improve their family’s health and provide better opportunities for their children.

For more information on HRSA’s Home Visiting Program click here.

For a list of awardees, click here.

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