Wednesday, September 11, 2024
9/11/2024
Abstract Purpose: Home Visiting (HV) is a key strategy for preventing infant and maternal mortality and promoting maternal and child health and school readiness in Maryland. We have built a strong statewide HV program, but must further strengthen evidence-based HV (EBHV) availability, reach, quality and coordination to meet the identified needs in the State. MDH coordinates with all of the child-and family-serving state agencies through the Children’s Cabinet, especially the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). With additional funding, we will expand the provision of EBHV services to eligible families. Goals and Objectives: Goal 1: Improve maternal, infant, and early childhood health by providing voluntary home visiting services through evidence-based models for families in at-risk communities as identified by our needs assessment, while also focusing on targeted outcomes in the statutorily mandated benchmark areas. Objective 1.1- Support 19 local interventions with vulnerable families in at-risk communities as early in pregnancy as possible, using evidence-based home visiting (EBHV) models. Objective 1.2 -- Provide LIAs with needed support to positively impact families through training, technical assistance, and professional development opportunities. Objective 1.3 – Strengthen program infrastructure to improve programs and activities for families receiving home visiting services. Objective 1.4- Continue to implement Maryland’s CQI plan Goal 2: Ensure the provision of high-quality home visiting services to eligible families living in at-risk communities by, in part, coordinating with comprehensive statewide early childhood systems to support the needs of those families. Objective 2.1 - Strengthen home visiting services by assessing and evaluating data quality and engaging in data sharing with other early childhood systems as applicable. Objective 2.2 - Partner with child-serving agencies statewide, public and private agencies as well as local agencies and organizations quarterly to assure home visiting remains at the forefront of a robust system of early care. Methodology: The selected MIECHV-funded EBHV models implemented in MD are Family Connects, Healthy Families America (HFA) and Nurse Family Partnership (NFP). The priority population is expectant women, mothers, and children birth to five in 19 of the state’s 24 jurisdictions – those with communities at greatest risk. The project promotes EBHV availability; builds infrastructure for all sites; expands HV services in newly identified jurisdictions, and supports workforce retention. The proposed caseload for reporting Year 1 and Year 2 within the FY23 Base Grant is 1163, which is an increase of our current caseload of 1123 MIECHV family slots.
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).
