State Nets $10M in Home Visiting Funding

The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $10.5 million to Indiana to help fund the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. The funds will allow the state to continue expansion of its voluntary home visiting services to pregnant women and parents with young children.

The HRSA says the program provides support for preventive health and prenatal practices. The Federal Home Visiting Program serves counties throughout the country with high rates of low birth weight infants, teen births, families living in poverty or infant mortality.

"The Federal Home Visiting Program helps parents connect with services and resources and improve the skills they need to ensure their children are physically, socially and emotionally healthy and ready to learn," said HRSA Associate Administrator for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau Michael Lu. "In these voluntary programs, trained nurses, social workers, early childhood educators, or other trained professionals meet regularly with expectant parents or families with young children in their homes, building strong, positive relationships with families who want and need support."

Indiana’s grant is a portion of the $345 million awarded to 55 states, territories and nonprofit organizations. The program is part of President Obama’s Early Learning Initiative.