Rep. Davis Celebrates $440 Million to States and Tribes

Rep. Davis Celebrates $440 Million to States and Tribes

Washington, D.C. -- Representative Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, released the following statement after the Health Resources and Services Administration announced more than $440 million for the FY 2024 Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Base and Matching Grant awards this week.

Home visiting is a voluntary, evidence-based program that supports pregnant women and families with very young children. Decades of research demonstrate that home visiting helps prevent child abuse and neglect, strengthens positive parenting, improves maternal and child health, and promotes child development and school readiness. Home visiting programs provide pregnant women, new mothers, and families with young children with regular, planned visits from trained professionals who help them improve their healthy living and parenting skills, promote child development, and access needed resources and services.

The funding was provided under the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, which passed the House in December of 2022 and then was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328). The law reauthorized the MIECHV program for five years. Rep. Davis worked with Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) on the legislation prior to her tragic death in August 2022. Over the five-year period, the act will double the federal investment in evidence-based home visiting, bringing home visiting to more families and communities. It more than doubles the investment in tribal communities, where so many communities need home visiting but have been left out due to a lack of funding. It also invests in the critical home visiting workforce because it is the support and relationships that home visitors build with mothers, fathers, and children that make home visiting work.

“I celebrate the announcement this week by the Health Resources and Services Administration of more than $440 million for evidence-based home visiting programing to states and tribes – with over $11 million for Illinois,” Ways and Means Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Ranking Member Davis said. “Home visiting is a powerful, proven tool that helps young children and families thrive. For decades, I’ve made it a top policy priority to bring this life-transforming program to all who need it. I am very proud that my bill - the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 - expands home visiting to more families and communities. Rep. Jackie Walorski and I worked hard on this legislation, which is also a tribute to her work and deep commitment to helping children and families.”

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