CARSON CITY - The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health's Bureau of Child, Family, and Community Wellness will receive $1,791,559 from the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
This will supplement the ACA Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) original $1,136,889 allotted in the FFY14 budget for home visitation services bringing the total to $2,928,448.
The Nevada Home Visiting (NHV) program expansion will increase home visiting services to needy families and will strengthen the peer learning network of existing providers. This expansion will enhance the role Nevada's existing statewide home visiting program fulfills as an integral part of the state's comprehensive early childhood system.
"Home Visiting provides a unique opportunity to address a broad spectrum of public and behavioral health issues among the most vulnerable families in our state," said Beth Handler, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Section Manager.
This funding award will increase the capacity for current Nevada Home Visiting implementing agencies in Reno and Las Vegas, as well as expand home visitation programs into rural communities via partnerships with The Children's Cabinet, Head Start of Northeastern Nevada, and the Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Section Community Health Worker Program.
NHV conducted a statewide needs assessment in 2010 to identify the priority communities in which to implement evidence-based home visiting programs. Risk factor data was collected on poverty, unemployment, prenatal care, low birth weight, infant mortality, school readiness and achievement, domestic violence, child maltreatment, and crime.
Priorities to address include limited access to services; poverty and socioeconomic status; and poor health, development, and social indicators.
The expanded implementation of select evidence-based home visiting models will result in overall improvements in: a) maternal and child health, b) child safety and wellbeing; c) school readiness and achievement; d) access to community-based services.
For more information about the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, go to: http://health.nv.gov.
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