Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Homevisiting Grant Program - Project Abstract for the USVI MIECHV Program Address: 3241 Estate Contant 3rd Fl St. Thomas, VI 00802 Project Director: Janis Valmond Contact Number: 340-777-8804 Email Address: Janis.Valmond@doh.vi.gov Website: www.doh.vi.gov 1. Project Abstract A. Standard OMB-approved Project Abstract Summary Form The Virgin Islands Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (VI MIECHV) program aims to enhance access to quality healthcare, promote health equity for maternal and child health, and strengthen workforce capacity for home visiting. This initiative will increase family enrollment in evidence-based home visiting models, expand community health outreach to underserved areas through the expansion of services of Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) to St. Croix. The program will implement health equity initiatives by implementing staff training on topics related to health equity and culture sensitivity. The program addresses maternal and child health disparities and socioeconomic challenges by providing comprehensive support services and improving healthcare access. Problem: The VI faces significant maternal and child health disparities, including high rates of preterm births and low birth weight, particularly in low-income communities. There is also a need to address socioeconomic challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, and mental health issues that affect many families. Purpose: The purpose of the VI MIECHV program is to improve maternal and child health outcomes, enhance service delivery, and ensure health equity to mothers and babies across the territory of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix by implementing evidence-based home visiting models and comprehensive support services. Goals and Objectives: 1. Enhance Access to Quality Healthcare and Increase the number of families enrolled in Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) & Healthy Families America (HFA) programs to meet the target population of 100 family’s territory wide. Objectives: 1.1 Collaborate with two new healthcare providers to boost referral rates. 1.2 Conduct at least three community health outreaches independently and/or in conjunction with community partners annually. Objectives: 2.1 Ensure all MIECHV staff complete health equity training within six months of employment. Objectives: 3. Strengthen Workforce Capacity: Recruit and train additional home visitors specializing in early childhood development within the next year. 3.1 Offer competitive compensation packages to attract new recruits. 3.2 Offer professional development opportunities to 100% of the staff annually. Approach: List the following: Eligible evidence-based models and promising approaches support with MIECHV award funds. • Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) and Healthy Families America (HFA) are the two voluntary evidence-based models that will be utilized using the new award funds. NFP will serve the first-time mothers and their children, providing home visiting services during pregnancy and continuing through the child’s first two years of life. Healthy Families America (HFA) targets parents facing challenges such as single parenthood, low income, childhood history of abuse and other adverse child experiences. Home visiting services are initiated during pregnancy or after birth before the child turns three months of age and continue until the child is three years old. Communities identified in your statewide needs assessment that you intend to serve and any specific target population groups (s) to be served within those communities. • The program primarily serves low-income families, teen mothers, and families with a history of substance abuse, mental health issues, or other risk factors that may impact maternal and child health outcomes in St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Total proposed caseload of MIECHV family slots (see Appendix B for a definition of caseload of MIECHV family slots) for each federal fiscal year within peri
