Address: 4900 North Lamar, Austin, TX 78759
Project Director Name: Claire Hall
Contact Phone Number: 512-466-5846
Email Address: Claire.hall@dfps.texas.gov
Website Address: https://www.dfps.texas.gov/prevention_and_early_intervention
Program Funds requested in the application: $26,402,604 ($25,676,711 federal base; $725,893 federal matching funds)
Annotation: The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Division of Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) proposes to continue leveraging Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) and state general revenue funds to support the implementation of Texas Home Visiting (THV), our comprehensive early childhood systems approach to home visiting in communities with demonstrated need.
Problem: As described in the MIECHV needs assessment, Texas families in at-risk communities face challenges associated with poverty, unstable housing, lack of services, family and community violence, and the need for more accessible health and mental health care.
Purpose: The purpose of the Texas MIECHV project is to support comprehensive home visiting programs and early childhood systems in Texas communities with demonstrated need to strengthen families and improve maternal and child health outcomes. 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.
Goals and Objectives: The goals of this grant are to: 1) provide effective, evidence-based home visiting services in targeted, at-risk communities that meet local needs and achieve the Health Resources and Services Administration performance measures regarding: maternal and newborn health, child maltreatment and injury prevention, school readiness; domestic violence screening, family self-sufficiency, and coordinated referrals; 2) develop early childhood systems, improve coordination, facilitate access, and promote comprehensive services to address non-medical drivers of health and improve outcomes for young children and families; 3) provide training, technical assistance, and continuous quality improvement support to enhance the quality of home visiting services; and 4) provide data collection support and evaluation to enhance the quality of home visiting.
Approach: Funds from this grant support 35 local implementing agencies with 21 subgrantees serving 47 out of the 59 counties identified at highest risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes in the Texas MIECHV needs assessment. All communities were identified through a combination of risk modeling and qualitative investigations that identified high-risk counties in the state as priorities for home visiting programs. 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 MIECHV local implementing agencies currently implement one or more of the following eight evidence-based models: Family Check-Up or Children; Healthy Families America; Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters; Nurse-Family Partnership; Parents as Teachers; Play and Learning Strategies; Promoting First Relationships; and Safecare Augmented, based on the needs of the community. The Texas MIECHV program anticipates serving 3,219 families in fiscal year 2025 and to continue serving 3,219 families, in fiscal year 2026, dependent on continuity of service provi Communities will also build early childhood partnerships that support comprehensive early childhood systems and referral pathways.