Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Homevisiting Grant Program - PROJECT ABSTRACT Project Title: West Virginia Home Visitation Program (WVHVP) Applicant Name: West Virginia Department of Health (WVDH) Address: 350 Capitol Street, Room 427, Charleston, West Virginia 25301 Project Director: Jackie Newson Contact Phone #s: Voice: (304) 414-0648 Fax: (304) 558-4984 E-Mail Address: jackie.j.newson@wv.gov Annotation: The WVHVP will continue to implement a well-coordinated program through evidence-based home visiting services, statewide data collection, professional development, continuous quality improvement (CQI), health equity planning, and a Help Me Grow (HMG) Coordinated Intake System (CIS) that will include a promising practice model, Right From the Start Program (RFTS). Problem: West Virginia is rural with high poverty rates and multiple risk factors for families including substance use, children’s entry into the child welfare system and first-time moms impacting many families served. Purpose: The WVHVP is the lead program to coordinate voluntary home visiting services with local implementing agencies (LIAs). The intent is to improve outcomes for families served. Goals and Objectives: Based upon 2023 baseline percentages, collective efforts between state and local stakeholders will ensure identified objectives and goals reflect improvements: 1) Reduce disparities by 10% in the health and well-being of families utilizing evidence-based practices in families served through September 2026; 2) Ensure implementation of home visiting services through the HMG CIS to provide positive outcomes with harder-to-engage families through September 2026; 3) Increase the number of priority population families served through family-centered approaches in the targeted highest at-risk counties by 10% by September 2026; 4) Increase home visitor professional development, outreach and services to families impacted by substance use, child welfare entry or first-time moms by 10% by September 2026; and 5) Participate in a rigorous evaluation of RFTS as a promising practice model. Methodology: The WVHVP intends to serve an average of 1,875 families per year with efforts towards targeted intensive home visiting services. WVHVP will provide a solid framework through use of improved referral processes, health equity planning, CQI specialists, social determinants of health screening, linkages between medical home, and the HMG CIS. WVHVP will utilize a parent advisory group and community partners to address needs in highest risk pockets of counties served. A transition to a regional approach with subrecipient grantees will streamline monitoring and fiscal approaches. The use of HMG will assist with waiting lists and areas with limited home visiting services. Evidence-based models to be used are Parents as Teachers (PAT), Healthy Families America (HFA), Early Head Start Home Based Option (EHS), Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), and the Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker Program (MIHOW). A rigorous evaluation of RFTS will be a priority focus and assist with linking through Medicaid funding. A continuum of care will include coordinated efforts between Early Intervention, Part C, and Children with Special Health Care Needs.
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).