Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant

Objective

The goals of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV Program) are to: (1) strengthen and improve the programs and activities carried out under Title V of the Social Security Act; (2) improve coordination of services for at-risk communities; and (3) identify and provide comprehensive services to improve outcomes for eligible families who reside in at-risk communities. The MIECHV Program supports voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services for pregnant women and parents with young children up to kindergarten entry. The MIECHV Program builds upon decades of scientific research that shows home visits conducted by a nurse, social worker, or other trained professional during pregnancy and in the first years of a child’s life improves the lives of children and families. Home visiting helps prevent childhood and adult chronic disease and behavioral health conditions, supports families to prevent child abuse and neglect, promotes child development and school readiness, and boosts families’ economic self-sufficiency. Consistent with the program’s authorizing statute MIECHV funds provide grants to 56 states and jurisdictions through base and matching funds. State and jurisdiction grantees conduct statewide needs assessments to identify eligible at-risk communities, reach statutorily-defined priority populations, and choose one or more of the 24 approved evidence-based home visiting models or identify promising approaches that will best meet the specific needs of their states and communities.

Who Can Apply

• U.S. Territory (or Possession) Government (including freely-associated states)
• U.S. State Government (including the District of Columbia)

Eligible entities include those currently funded under the MIECHV Program: 48 states, 2 nonprofit organizations serving Florida, and North Dakota, and 6 territories and jurisdictions serving District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. For those states that have elected not to participate in MIECHV, nonprofit organizations with an established record of providing early childhood home visiting programs or initiatives in a state or several states are eligible to apply to carry out programs in those states.

Who Benefits

• Nonprofit Organization
• Unrestricted by Individual Type

As directed in statute, awardees must give priority in providing services under the MIECHV program to the following: • Eligible families who reside in communities in need of such services, as identified in the statewide needs assessment required under subsection 511(b)(1)(A); • Low-income eligible families; • Eligible families with pregnant women who have not attained age 21; • Eligible families that have a history of child abuse or neglect or have had interactions with child welfare services; • Eligible families that have a history of substance abuse or need substance abuse treatment; • Eligible families that have users of tobacco products in the home; • Eligible families that are or have children with low student achievement; • Eligible families with children with developmental delays or disabilities; and • Eligible families that include individuals who are serving or formerly served in the Armed Forces, including such families that have members of the Armed Forces who have had multiple deployments outside of the United States.

Assistance Types

• Grant
• Cooperative Agreement

Program Contact

EHeppner@hrsa.gov
(301) 443-2170