On Tuesday, June 9, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the US House Committee on Ways and Means, will host a hearing to review proposals to provide funding for grants to states to support early childhood home visitation programs.
Several New Yorkers will be testifying, including representatives of the New York Education Begins at Home Coalition, and Cheryl D'Aprix of Starting Together (Healthy Families New York), Community Action Program of Madison County.
In announcing the hearing, Chairman Jim McDermott said, "Home visitation programs have a proven track record of increasing the chances that a child will have a safer, healthier, and more productive life. There is considerable interest in expanding these programs to reach more families. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to advance a proposal that will achieve that goal."
From the press release:
"Early childhood home visitation programs provide instruction and services to families in their homes. These programs are designed to enhance the well-being and development of young children by providing: information on child health, development, and care; parental support and training; referral to other services; or a combination of these services. Typically visits begin during pregnancy or shortly after a child’s birth and may last until a child is age four. Home visits are conducted by nurses, social workers, other professionals or paraprofessionals."
In addition, on Tuesday June 2, Representatives McDermott, Danny Davis (D-IL) and Todd Platts (R-PA) introduced the Early Support for Families Act (HR 2667), more information here (note: type "HR2667" into the bill search box).
The bill, which will be the focus of Tuesday's hearing, would provide mandatory funding to states to create and expand early childhood home visitation programs. Under the legislation, funding would start at $100 million in 2010, increasing to $700 million by 2014. The bill would require a state match of 15% in the first year, 20% in the second, and a 25% match in the third. The bill builds off of previous bipartisan legislation that had been introduced in both the House and Senate that would support rigorously evaluated programs that utilize nurses, social workers, and other professionals and paraprofessionals to visit families, especially lower-income families, on a voluntary basis. If enacted, the bill would fulfill one of President Obama's first initiatives in the area of zero to five early childhood policy.
A growing body of research has found strong evidence that early childhood home visitation programs are effective in reducing the incidence of child abuse and neglect, and in improving child health and development, parenting skills, and school readiness.
Learn more about this legislation on PCANY's upcoming advocacy webinar on Wednesday, June 10th, 10:30am.
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