Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Homevisiting Grant Program - The purpose of the Texas MIECHV project is to continue leveraging state and federal funds to support sustainable, comprehensive home visiting programs and systems in communities with demonstrated need to strengthen families and improve maternal and child health outcomes. The Department of Family and Protective Services, Prevention and Early Intervention division (DFPS-PEI) proposes to leverage federal and state resources to continue building broad, sustainable home visiting programs and systems in high-need communities, as identified by a complex risk analysis. The goals are to: implement evidence-based home visiting services; build comprehensive early childhood systems; and enhance services through training, data review, continuous quality improvement, and evaluation activities. awards grants or contract to achieve the following objectives: 1) provide evidence-based home visiting services; 2) build local and state early childhood coalitions to address needs, coordinate services, conduct system-change activities, and increase sustainability; 3) provide ongoing training, technical assistance, and continuous quality improvement support; 4) conduct state evaluation; and 5) operate a data collection program. Methodology: Funds from this grant will support a minimum of 15 communities at-risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes, with the intention to expand to new communities. Communities were identified through a combination of risk modeling and qualitative investigations that identified 59 high-risk counties in the state as priorities for home visiting programs. DFPS-PEI uses a Request for Application (RFA) process to offer grants to LIAs to serve communities identified in the statewide needs assessment. Applicants select program models that meet Health and Human Services criteria for evidence of effectiveness as required by HRSA. Applicants may select multiple program models as well as use a combination of program models with families, avoiding concurrent dual enrollment, to support a continuum of home visiting services that meets families’ specific needs. Texas LIAs currently implement one or more of the following evidence-based models: Nurse-Family Partnership; Parents as Teachers; Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters; and Healthy Families America, based on the needs of the community. Family Connects will continue to serve as a referral and screening mechanism for four LIAs. DFPS-PEI intends to continue to fund existing LIA communities and hopes to add three to five new communities. DFPS-PEI anticipates serving 3,066 families in FY 2022. As staffing and caseloads stabilize, DFPS-PEI projects to serve approximately 3,219 families in FY 2023 and FY 2024. DFPS-PEI estimates serving an additional 1,200 families in FY 2023 and FY 2024 through new MIECHV-funded LIAs as a result of expansion and a new braided funding approach. DFPS-PEI will provide updated information on MIECHV communities, local implementing agencies and caseloads once the Request For Application process has concluded and state fiscal year 2023 grant awards have been made. Communities will build early childhood partnerships that support comprehensive early childhood systems and referral pathways. DFPS-PEI requires grantees to lead or engage with a local or regional coalition of parents and caregivers, community organizations, providers, businesses, and institutions who share a common goal of supporting healthy early childhood development, promoting maternal health, strengthening families and family supports, preventing child abuse and neglect, promoting school readiness and early learning, promoting caregiver mental health, or a combination of these. Coalitions may be population or issue focused or have a subcommittee or task force to promote awareness and address goals. Coalition and community coordination and activities should lead to improved community conditions, services, and outcomes.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).