HHS Announces the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program

On June 10, 2010, HHS released the first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. With $90 million in formula funding for Fiscal Year 2010, the Program will support collaboration and partnership at the Federal, State, and local level to improve health and development outcomes for at-risk children through evidence-based home visiting programs. As part of ensuring that each State identifies at-risk communities, the Program requires States to submit a state-wide needs assessment no later than 6 months after the enactment date, which is September 23, 2010. The state-wide needs assessment requires States to provide a detailed description of:

• Communities with concentrations of— premature birth, low birth-weight infants, and infant mortality, including infant death due to neglect, or other indicators of at-risk prenatal, maternal, newborn, or child health; poverty; crime; domestic violence; high rates of high-school dropouts; substance abuse; unemployment; or child maltreatment.

• The quality and capacity of existing programs or initiatives for early childhood home visitation in the State including-the number of types of individuals and families who are receiving services under such programs or initiatives; the gaps in early childhood home visitation in the State; and the State’s capacity for providing substance abuse treatment and counseling services to individuals and families in need of such treatment or services.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program has the potential to improve outcomes for children and families in communities across the country. In the next few weeks, CSSP will be providing further analysis on this exciting funding opportunity.

The initial application deadline for the first FOA is July 9, 2010. Visit grants.gov to view the application.


Resources on the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program:
Summary of Maternal Summary of Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Parents as Teachers

The Federal Home Visitation Initiative: Frequently Asked Questions, Nurse-Family Partnership

Detailed Summary of the Home Visitation Program in the Patient Care and Affordable Act, CLASP