Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that Rhode Island is being awarded over $8.5 million in federal funding to support the state’s Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. Originally created as part of the Affordable Care Act, these federal funds help families voluntarily receive home visits from nurses, social workers, trained educators, and other service providers to improve maternal and child health, boost healthy development, school readiness, and economic self-sufficiency.
The MIECHV program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Rhode Island’s home visiting program is overseen by the Rhode Island Department of Health and provides free assistance to women during pregnancy and for families with young children, with an emphasis on connecting vulnerable families with information on health insurance, early education opportunities, parenting skills, nutrition programs, and other supports that promote healthy development.
“Rhode Island’s home visiting program helps expectant mothers, new parents, and their babies get off to a healthier start by connecting them to nurses, social workers, other service providers, and information on key programs that have been proven to promote healthy development. These types of evidence-based home visiting programs for families in need are a smart investment in improving the health and well-being of our communities and ensuring families have the support they need to help their children thrive. I will continue to work with my colleagues to strengthen supports for Rhode Island families,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.
“I’m committed to ensuring Rhode Island families are supported right from the start,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Rhode Island’s home visiting programs have been a success, and I am so pleased that this federal investment will help more kids grow up healthy and ready to learn.”
“RIDOH extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to Senators Reed and Whitehouse for working to secure this funding for RIDOH’s Family Visiting Programs,” said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. “We know that these programs provide critical supports for families and children and help to assure that children enter school ready to learn and grow. In addition, we know that for every dollar we invest, there is a savings in future medical costs.”
The fiscal year 2023 consolidated appropriations law, which Reed and Whitehouse helped pass, doubled the funding available for MIECHV programs over the next five years. This was the first expansion of the federal home visiting program in nearly ten years.
Since its creation in 2010, Rhode Island has received over $20 million in MIECHV program funding to support evidence-based home visiting programs throughout the state. Through the program, visiting health professionals meet with at-risk families in their homes and connect them to information and services that can make a real difference in the health, development, and education of children.
According to HRSA’s fiscal year 2023 fact sheet on Rhode Island’s MIECHV program, the program serves 2,650 participants throughout 1,338 households across the state and provides over 15,500 home visits. The program has demonstrated significant benefits, including improved school readiness and achievement of children, improved health for women, increased health insurance coverage, and prevented child injuries, abuse, and neglect.
Under the leadership of the Rhode Island Department of Health, the state provides funding to four voluntary, free home visiting programs:
First Connections: This program serves families statewide. It is a short-term program that addresses families’ needs and links them with resources in their community. Pregnant women and families with young children, birth to age three may request visits.
Healthy Families America: This long-term, evidence-based program provides services across the state. Pregnant women and families with young children, birth through three months of age may enroll. Home visitors continue to work with a family until the child is four years old.
Nurse-Family Partnership: This long-term, evidence-based program serves families in Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket. All home visitors are nurses. First-time mothers may enroll before their 28th week of pregnancy. Home visitors continue to work with a family until the child is two years old.
Parents as Teachers: This long-term, evidence-based program serves pregnant women and families with young children across the state. The Rhode Island Department of Health funds some sites in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket.
Family visiting services offered by the Rhode Island Department of Health are free and available to all expecting parents and those with children under age three. Rhode Islanders wishing to enroll may do so online or by calling 401-222-5960.
