New federal funding to help maternal health, Arizona families in need

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has received more than $440 million in federal funding to expand its Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV).

Carole Johnson, the administrator for HRSA, said Arizona is receiving $12 million for MIECHV in the state.

‘It’s a huge investment for us in Arizona,” said Johnson. “It’s really a vital program. Research shows it works, and we’re really excited to be bringing more dollars to the community, to your communities, to be able to deliver to more families.”

The nationwide program started 10 years ago. It targets at-risk communities, including rural and Indigenous towns, where there are high numbers of premature births, infant mortality, poverty, crime and other factors.

“It’s such a game-changer. It really is,” said Johnson.

The Arizona Department of Health Services will work with local organizations through the program to provide home visits from nurses, social workers and other trained professionals to expectant mothers and young families.

Johnson said families need to volunteer for the program, which offers help with breastfeeding, safe sleeping techniques for babies, the overall health of mom and baby, and early childhood development.

“We get your kids connected to child development screenings. We identify issues early. We work to make sure that your kids are reading or hearing lots of complex words early to work with language development. And those things have been real markers to show how home visiting makes a difference in school readiness and school success,” she said.

Two years ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to double the funding for the program over five years.

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