Funding supports White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis; Coincides with HRSA Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative Convening in Montana
Today, Carole Johnson, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, visited Montana for a convening of HRSA-funded organizations and announced that Montana is eligible this year for $5.4 million in federal funding for the HRSA Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, an evidence-based initiative providing direct in-home services to expectant families and families with young children across Montana.
This year’s funding represents an increase of more than $1 million per year to Montana for home visiting since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration. President Biden signed legislation significantly increasing funding for home visiting in December 2022, and as a result federal funds available to Montana will continue to grow over the next several years.
“At the Health Resources and Services Administration, we take President Biden’s charge to make families a priority very seriously,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “That is why we have worked closely with Congress to grow the home visiting program and make sure more families in Montana and across the country have every opportunity to thrive. We are delighted to be in Montana this week to highlight the incredible work community leaders across the state are doing in partnership with HRSA.”
Home visiting is an evidence-based strategy for providing expectant and new parents who choose to participate with high-touch, in-home, supports and visits to help guide and assist them with becoming a new parent. It also provides essential connections for families to needed services. Home visiting emphasizes strong communication between parents and children that promotes early language development; assists with important topics for new parents like safe sleep, breastfeeding and nutrition; and helps address family needs such as screening for developmental delays and introduction of early intervention services. Home visiting has been demonstrated to help improve maternal and child health, promote child development and school readiness, and prevent child abuse and neglect.
New parents and home visitors from across Montana are joining Administration Johnson at the HRSA National Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative roundtable at the Montana Healthcare Foundation, including from home visiting programs in Gallatin County, Lewis & Clark County, and Mineral County. HRSA’s convening is an opportunity for HRSA grantees and partners in Montana to continue to work together to address preventable maternal and infant mortality and provide critical supports to help ensure the health and well-being of Montana families.