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 Purpose: 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), opportunities for healthy interventions, and a Help Me Grow (HMG) Coordinated Intake System (CIS). Evidence-based models to be used are Parents as Teachers (PAT), Healthy Families America (HFA), Early Head Start - Home Based Option (EHS), and the Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW) Program. WVHVP will continue to explore the use of Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) as a model for first time moms. A continuum of care will include coordinated efforts between Early Intervention, Part C, and Children with Special Health Care Needs. A concentrated effort on targeted intensive home visiting with families considered at higher risk for negative outcomes will be a priority through community collaborations, professional development and new partnerships with historically non-traditional partners for both state and local home visiting programs. WVHVP will apply for the federal matching funds under this funding opportunity to expand services to priority populations and address needs related to benchmark areas on prenatal and infant outcomes, reduction in child welfare engagement and both foster and grandfamilies as the primary care givers. The intent is to improve outcomes for West Virginia’s most vulnerable families. Goals and Objectives: Based upon 2024 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 2027; 2) Ensure implementation of home visiting services through the HMG CIS to provide positive outcomes with harder-to-engage families through September 2027; 3) Increase the number of priority population families served through intensive targeted home visiting in the highest at-risk counties identified through an updated Needs Assessment by 10% by September 2027; and 4) Increase home visitor professional development, outreach and services to families impacted by substance use, child welfare entry, first-time moms or foster parents/grandfamilies by 10% by September 2027. Approach: The WVHVP intends to serve 1,428 families per year. WVHVP will provide a solid framework through use of improved referral processes, both quality initiatives and assurance activities, increased screenings, linkages between medical and dental homes, and the HMG CIS. WVHVP will utilize Family Advisory Groups that will align with Maternal Child Health Block activities, and community assessments to assist targeted outreach efforts in highest risk pockets of counties served. MIECHV will serve 42 counties and maintain subrecipient agreements with 21 local implementing agencies.
