$4M grant awarded to support health of Delaware families in need

The Health Resources and Services Administration has announced $4,005,571 awarded to Delaware, specifically the Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware, through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. These funds support communities to provide voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services to women during pregnancy, and to parents with young children up to kindergarten entry. Nationally, $361 million in funding was awarded to 56 states, territories and nonprofit organizations.

“Evidence-based home visiting programs help parents improve their family's health and provide better opportunities for their children,” said HRSA Administrator George Sigounas, MS, PhD. “These awards allow states to support local agencies in providing tailored home visiting services, meeting the specific needs of families in their own communities.”

This award is an increase to the $3,635,840 issued in FY 2017 to Delaware to reach parents and children most in need. Over the past six years, nationally, the MIECHV Program has provided over 4.2 million home visits. In FY 2017, the MIECHV Program served more than 156,000 parents and children in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five territories, and provided over 942,000 home visits. The program serves almost 42 percent of U.S. counties with high rates of poor birth outcomes or poverty. Almost three-fourths of families participating in the program had household incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

“The MIECHV Program helps parents and caregivers connect with services and resources, and empowers families with the tools they need to thrive,” said Laura Kavanagh, acting associate administrator of HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. “The program’s two-generation approach is aimed at improving the well-being of both parents and children across the lifespan, leading to healthier and stronger families and communities.”

Administered by HRSA in close partnership with the Administration for Children and Families the MIECHV Program supports pregnant women and families, particularly those considered at risk, as they raise children who are physically, socially and emotionally healthy, and ready to succeed.

For more information on HRSA's Home Visiting Program, go to http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/homevisiting.