PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Lincoln Chafee today joined with U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse in announcing that Rhode Island has been awarded $5.8 million for the expansion of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program.  Created as part of the Affordable Care Act, these federal funds are designed to help at-risk families voluntarily receive home visits from nurses and social workers to improve maternal and child health, child development, school readiness and economic self-sufficiency, and to help prevent child abuse.

Rhode Island was one of only 13 states nationwide to receive federal MIECHV funding from this competitive round of grants.

“When people make a direct connection through home visits, it’s a win because health outcomes for families improve and children get off to a stronger start.  By expanding into high-risk areas and adding more front line workers, these funds will boost child development, school readiness, and economic self-sufficiency for more families throughout the state,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed. 

“This funding will help mothers and children get access to vital in-home health services, and is another example of how the Affordable Care Act is making a difference for Rhode Island families.  I’m proud of the work our state has done to be a leader in health care,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

“With these additional funds, Rhode Island can focus on vital early-intervention services to the State’s youngest children and their families in the cities and towns that need it the most,” Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said. “The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program will enhance our statewide early childhood initiatives.”

Rhode Island has already received over $6.26 million through the MIECHV program since its creation in 2010 to support evidence-based home visiting in Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket.   Visiting health professionals meet with at-risk families in their homes and connect families to the kinds of information and services that can make a real difference in a child’s health, development, and ability to learn - such as health care, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, and nutrition.  

Under the leadership of the Rhode Island Department of Health, the state now provides funding to four voluntary, free home visiting programs, some of which serve families statewide:

First Connections: This program serves families statewide. It is a short-term program that addresses families' needs and links them with resources in their community. Pregnant women and families with young children, birth to age three may request visits.

Healthy Families America: This long-term, evidence-based program provides services in Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket. Pregnant women and families with young children, birth through three months of age may enroll. Home visitors continue to work with a family until the child is three years old.

Nurse-Family Partnership: This long-term, evidence-based program serves families in Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket. All home visitors are nurses. First-time mothers may enroll before their 28th week of pregnancy. Home visitors continue to work with a family until the child is two years old.

Parents as Teachers: This long-term, evidence-based program serves pregnant women and families with young children across the state. The Rhode Island Department of Health funds some sites in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket.

The MIECHV Program is administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA).