Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5/13/2025
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Homevisiting Grant Program - Project Title: WY DFS FY2021 Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Applicant Name: Wyoming Department of Family Services Address: 2300 Capitol Ave., 3rd Floor, Cheyenne, WY 82002 Project Director: Lindsey Schilling, Senior Administrator, Social Services Division Contact Information: Lindsey.Schilling1@wyo.gov, 307-777-6203 (phone), 307-777-3693 Grant Funds: HRSA-22-142, $1,164,660 The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) was awarded as the FY2021 Wyoming grantee. DFS continues to support the existing Parents as Teachers program infrastructure that serves families in five (5) Wyoming counties and explores opportunities to expand services based on identified needs. Home visiting is a prevention strategy used to support pregnant moms and new parents with ensuring infant and child health, educational and school readiness, and preventing child abuse and neglect. In 2020, there were 6,135 live births in Wyoming, a birth rate of 10.5 per 1,000 people. Compared to other states in the west region, Wyoming’s birth rate has been consistently above the regional average since 2009. Through the delivery of high quality voluntary home visiting services, DFS and its partners are positioned to take a larger role in preventing child abuse and neglect, supporting positive parenting, improving maternal and child health, and promoting child development and school readiness. Goal 1:Ensure high quality home visiting services are provided to high needs families in five (5) at-risk counties through implementation of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) evidence-based model. Goal 2: Increase the number of plans of safe care completed in order to decrease the risk of abuse or neglect in situations where substance use disorders have been identified. This work will include collaboration with the Department of Health, Public Health Nursing home visitation program. Goal 3: Explore the availability of funding to expand the current program and serve more families. This work will include an analysis of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funding, Title IV-E funding through an approved prevention plan and Wyoming Medicaid. Goal 4: Facilitate and strengthen the work that has begun on systems building and collaboration, promoting the importance of prenatal to five years services and services to fathers/male caregivers through evidence-based home visiting To accomplish these goals, DFS will continue to contract with the existing PAT Local Implementing Agencies (LIAs). DFS has a dedicated program analyst assigned to this project.
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).