WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national health policy, and (both D-N.J.) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services $10,476,077 for its Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program services to women during pregnancy and to parents with young children.

“Home visits by nurses, social workers, and child development professionals improve the health and well-being of children and families,” said Sen. Booker. “I’m proud to fight for funding to make sure thousands of New Jersey families and children receive crucial support and resources to thrive.”

“We know that when nurses, social workers and other professionals are involved in the lives of at-risk children through home visits during pregnancy and in the critical months after, that the outcomes in the areas of health, education, and economic self-sufficiency for these children and their families is dramatically improved,” said Sen. Menendez. “That is why I am proud to advocate each year for this vital funding that supports New Jersey women and children and provides them with the tools, resources and education to build strong families and healthy communities.” 

Through MIECHV, nurses, social workers, or other professionals visit at-risk families in their homes to evaluate their living situations and provide information on resources available to improve the health, educational, and economic opportunities for at-risk children. Resources include health care, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, and nutrition education or assistance.

In New Jersey, all twenty-one counties are served by this program. In 2019, 5,672 New Jersey families and 7,549 New Jersey children benefited from MIECHV programs.

The funding was secured through a provision in the American Rescue Plan that provided an additional $150 million for staffing and servicing for MIECHV programs across the country, including $2,435,374 for New Jersey. The provision also includes expanded flexibility for program operators to use funding to purchase technology needed for virtual home visits, and emergency supplies such as formula, food, water, hand soap and sanitizer, diapers, and prepaid grocery cards.