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2024 Yearbook

Home visiting is a service delivery strategy that connects expectant parents and caregivers of young children with a designated support person—typically a trained nurse, social worker, or early childhood specialist. Services are voluntary and provided in the family’s home or at a location of their choice.

A two-generation approach, home visiting delivers both caregiver- and child-oriented services to help the whole family. It views child and family development from a holistic perspective that encompasses—

  • Child health and well-being
  • Child development and school readiness
  • Positive caregiver-child relationships
  • Caregiver health and well-being
  • Family education and employment goals
  • Family functioning

States, territories, the District of Columbia, and tribal organizations implement home visiting models that match the needs of their communities using varied funding streams, including the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program.

Home visiting has a strong evidence base, with many studies showing that it works. (Source: For a more comprehensive review of the evidence base for home visiting, see Components Associated With Home Visiting Program Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis retrieved from [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24187111](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24187111).)Go to footnote #>1 There are currently 17 evidence-based home visiting models operating in the United States that meet standards of evidence as determined by the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) project. (Source: The 2022 Home Visiting Yearbook defines evidence-based home visiting as models that have met standards of evidence as determined by HomVEE.)Go to footnote #>2

A Lengthy History

Home visiting’s origins can be traced back to the Settlement House movement and its promotion of visiting nurses, if not earlier. Federal investments in initiatives to serve mothers and children began in the 1930s, with the passage of Title V, the Maternal and Child Health Program (later converted to a block grant), and continue today through MIECHV.
Effie Alofoje-Carr
Engaging parents who receive home visiting in decision making at every stage is critical if you want to ensure both sustainability and retention. Engaged parents support significantly improved outcomes that benefit the organization and family community as a whole.
Effie Alofoje-Carr Ingham Local Leadership Group

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