Advocacy Resources
Everything necessary to make a difference2021 Home Visiting Yearbook
Get to know the micro and macro level of home visiting with the 2021 Home Visiting Yearbook.
FAQ
Where Did Home Visiting Programs Originate?
Republicans and Democrats have consistently supported the implementation of evidence-based home visiting programs since the 1980s. In 2008, federal funding to support home visiting was appropriated for the first time.
What Is A Home Visit And Who Is A Home Visitor?
Families participating in home visiting programs choose to receive regular, planned home visits from trained providers such as nurses, social workers, and educators. While participation in home visiting programs is voluntary, families must demonstrate commitment to the program’s curriculum.
Home visitors help assess family needs and available community resources to them, partner with parents to provide necessary tools to ensure the safety and the emotional and physical well-being of their children, and connect families to community programs and resources that enhance stability.
Who is Served By MIECHV?
All families need support when welcoming a new baby into their home, but for parents living in poverty and experiencing other challenges, access to support and resources becomes even more critical to ensure their families thrive.
- 71% of participating families have household incomes at or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- 65% of participants have a high school diploma or less education
- 13% of newly enrolled households include pregnant teens
All data from HRSA, FY2018.
What Makes MIECHV Effective?
MIECHV provides funding to programs statistically proven to improve the health, education, and economic self-sufficiency of vulnerable families. To receive funding, grantees must demonstrate measurable improvement in at least four of six benchmark domains:
- improvement in maternal and newborn health;
- reduction in child injuries, abuse, and neglect;
- improved school readiness and achievement;
- reduction in crime or domestic violence;
- improved family economic self-sufficiency;
- improved coordination and referral for other community resources and supports.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) launched Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) to conduct thorough and transparent reviews of programs’ effectiveness.
How Does MIECHV Work?
The MIECHV program provides grants for states, territories, and tribal entities to implement evidence-based home visiting programs.
- 75% of MIECHV funding is provided for evidence-based programs
- 25% can be used for promising approaches
- 3% of total MIECHV funding is reserved for tribal grantees
- 3% of total MIECHV funding is reserved for research and evaluation activities
Over the coming year, our Human Resources Subcommittee will continue to focus on advancing solutions to help more families climb the economic ladder and escape poverty. We will continue taking action to ensure the programs under our Committee’s jurisdiction are encouraging and rewarding work rather than replacing it. In addition, we will advance evidence-based reforms to fund more programs that actually work, such as the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, which has delivered positive results for families by empowering parents to achieve better outcomes for themselves and their children.
… it is more critical than ever that we prevent cuts to essential health care services and shore up our support for infants and young children. These home visiting programs are one of the most effective and economical methods of providing that support.