Priority Families
Many families could benefit from the support of a home visitor, yet limited resources restrict the number that receive services. To identify a subpopulation of high-priority families, we estimate the number and percentage of families who meet any 1 of 5 targeting criteria:
- Having an infant
- Income below the federal poverty threshold
- Pregnant women and mothers under 21
- Single/never married mothers or pregnant women
- Parents without a high school education
These criteria were chosen to be useful to states, whether they aim to serve all infants or to focus on families with at least one demographic or economic characteristic associated with poor developmental outcomes. Even though actual targeting criteria differ from state to state and from program to program, our national estimates show large numbers of families who are likely to benefit from home visiting.
Potential Beneficiaries of Early Childhood Home Visiting Services: Targeted Populations
Potential beneficiaries
Number |
Percentage |
|
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant women and families with children under 6 years old not yet in kindergarten | 17,790,900 | 100 |
Targeted populations among potential beneficiaries
Number |
Percentage |
|
|---|---|---|
| Families with infants under 12 months | 3,444,900 | 19 |
| Families and pregnant women with income below poverty threshold | 4,238,300 | 24 |
| Pregnant women and mothers under 21 years | 512,500 | 3 |
| Single mothers and pregnant women | 4,209,700 | 24 |
| Parents and pregnant women with less than a high school education | 1,285,000 | 7 |
Source: Author tabulations of American Community Survey, 2014–2018.
Note: See the methodology section for more detail on the data source and variable definitions.
Interested in State-Level Data?
We also estimate the number and percentage of families who meet any 1 of the 5 targeting criteria or 2 or more criteria.
Potential Beneficiaries of Early Childhood Home Visiting Services: High-Priority Families
Potential beneficiaries
| Number | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant women and families with children under 6 years old not yet in kindergarten | 17,790,900 | 100 |
High-priority families
| Number | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant women and families meeting any 1 of 5 targeting criteria | 8,876,900 | 50 |
| Pregnant women and families meeting 2 or more targeting criteria | 3,534,600 | 20 |
Source: Author tabulations of American Community Survey, 2014–2018.
Note: See the methodology section for more detail on the data source and variable definitions.
Potential Beneficiaries of Early Childhood Home Visiting Services: Child Characteristics
Age
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| <1 year | 16 | 31 |
| 1–2 years | 34 | 29 |
| 3–5 years | 50 | 40 |
Primary language
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| English | 72 | 68 |
| Spanish | 19 | 24 |
| Other | 9 | 8 |
Health insurance status
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| Public | 44 | 62 |
| Private | 52 | 33 |
| None | 4 | 5 |
Source: Author tabulations of American Community Survey, 2014–2018.
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Some children with public health insurance also have private health insurance. Age, health insurance status, and primary language are based on data for children, except language for children under 4 years old is based on language of their mother or other primary caregiver.
High-priority children meeting any one of the targeting criteria differ from the broader population of all potential beneficiaries in several ways; for example, they are more likely to—
Potential Beneficiaries of Early Childhood Home Visiting Services: Family Characteristics
Race
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 1 | 1 |
| Asian | 6 | 4 |
| Black | 14 | 19 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | <0.5 | <0.5 |
| White | 69 | 63 |
| Multiple | 3 | 3 |
| Other | 7 | 9 |
Ethnicity
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 23 | 28 |
Education
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| Less than a high school education | 10 | 18 |
Type
Percentage |
Percentage meeting criteria |
|
|---|---|---|
| Mother and father | 65 | 52 |
| Mother only | 21 | 36 |
| Father only | 4 | 4 |
| No parent | 3 | 3 |
| No child (pregnant woman without children) | 7 | 6 |
Source: Author tabulations of American Community Survey, 2014–2018.
Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. Race and ethnicity are measured by family and based on race and ethnicity of mother or other primary caregiver. Caregiver education is based on data for all parents present or the head of household if no parents are present. Type is measured by family and based on data for the youngest child; “mother only” families include children with two mothers; “father only” families include children with two fathers; “no child” families include pregnant women without children. In May 2021, we updated the “percentage meeting criteria” information to correct a previously overstated number of “no child” families.
Priority Families: Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program
To maximize limited resources, the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) requires awardees to prioritize families living in at-risk communities as identified by statewide needs assessments. MIECHV also encourages awardees to target priority populations to serve families most in need.
High-priority families include those with—
- Low incomes
- Pregnant women under 21
- History of child maltreatment or prior involvement with the child welfare system
- History of substance abuse or in current need of substance abuse treatment
- Current tobacco use in the home
- Children with low student achievement
- Children with developmental delays or disabilities
- Individuals who are serving or have served in the military