HHS recently announced $88 million in grants for programs that provide visits from nurses, social workers and other health professionals to the homes of at-risk families, HealthLeaders Media reports. The Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program -- part of the federal health reform law (PL 111-148) -- enables providers to evaluate families' needs and connect them with health and child development services, social work, educational and child abuse prevention programs, parenting skills education, and nutritional assistance.

The reform law allocates $1.5 billion for the home visits program and similar initiatives over the next five years, according to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Forty-nine states, five territories and the District of Columbia applied for and will receive the funding.

Recipients will conduct statewide assessments to determine which programs will qualify for a portion of the funding. State agencies will disperse the money based on the number of children in families with incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty level in that state or region.

The home visiting program aims to reduce pre-term births and the need for emergency department visits. Sebelius said, "This effort builds on impressive research findings and is one more piece of our strategy to invest in prevention and early interventions that pay off" (Clark, HealthLeaders Media, 7/22).

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