Should the Federal Home Visiting Program for Pregnant Women and Families be Extended? (H.R. 2824)

What is H.R. 2824?

(Updated August 18, 2019)

This bill would reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program through fiscal year 2022 with $400 million allocated to it annually. The program aims to give pregnant women and families, particularly those considered at-risk, resources and skills to raise children who are physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and ready to learn. The program is set to expire at the end of September 2017. 

Current law requires grantees receiving funds through the program to demonstrate improvement in specified benchmark areas three years after implementation. This bill would also require grantees in subsequent years to track and demonstrate improvement in those areas. If the grantee fails to do so, they would be required to develop and implement a corrective plan that’d be subject to the approval of the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS would terminate program grants to grantee that implements such a plan but continues to fail to show improvement. To receive grants, a state would have to conduct a statewide needs assessment by October 1, 2019 and at least once every five years thereafter.

Grantees would have to provide matching funds under the program starting with fiscal year 2020. They could use program funds to support a “pay-for-outcomes initiative”, which is a performance-based grant, contract, or agreement in which a commitment is made to pay for improved outcomes that result in social benefit and public-sector cost savings.

HHS would be required to establish data-exchange standards for the program.

Argument in favor

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program should be extended through 2022 at its current funding levels with reforms aimed at improving outcomes.

Argument opposed

More funding should be provided to the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program as it’s extended, and reforms to improve outcomes aren’t needed.

Impact

Pregnant women and families; grantees under the MIEHCV program; and HHS.

Cost of H.R. 2824

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) introduced this bill to extend funding for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, which is currently set to expire at the end of September 2017:

“MIECHV is a positive example of what we should expect and receive from anti-poverty programs, as its funding for voluntary home visiting services is tied to proven evidence of effectiveness in areas such as improving economic self-sufficiency and reducing child abuse and neglect. Making this upfront investment in families protects children and reduces government dependence down the road. I am pleased to introduce the reauthorization of MIECHV and look forward to continuing our work to support healthy families and increase economic opportunity.”

This legislation passed the House Ways and Means Committee on a 22-15 vote. It currently has the support of seven cosponsors in the House, all of whom are Republicans.

Media:

• House Ways and Means Committee Press Release
  
• Campaign for Children
  
• Home Visiting Coalition
  
• HuffPost
  
• National Association of Counties (In Favor)
  
• Health Resources & Services Administration (Context)