ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE

What this award covers

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - ADDRESS: 401 S. CLINTON STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60607 PROJECT DIRECTOR: LORI ORR PHONE: (312) 919-3426 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.IGROWILLINOIS.ORG FUNDS REQUESTED: $ 14,243,004.00 PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF IL MIECHV IS TO IMPROVE CHILD AND FAMILY OUTCOMES IN AT-RISK COMMUNITIES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SERVING FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, PREGNANT AND PARENTING YOUTH IN CHILD WELFARE CARE, AND FAMILIES WITH SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES. IL MIECHV COMMUNITIES INCLUDE URBAN SITES WITH CONCENTRATED POVERTY, SUBURBS WITH FAST-GROWING POPULATIONS, AND RURAL COUNTIES WHERE ISOLATION AND LACK OF TRANSPORTATION EXACERBATE CONDITIONS FOR PRIORITY POPULATIONS. IL MIECHV SUPPORTS THREE EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS: HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA, PARENTS AS TEACHERS, AND FAMILY CONNECTS (USED AS A COORDINATED INTAKE STRATEGY IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES). IL MIECHV IMPLEMENTS EVIDENCE-BASED HV SERVICES AND STRENGTHENS CROSS-SYSTEMS PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED SERVICES FOR FAMILIES. MATCHING FUNDS WILL SUSTAIN THE EXPANSION OF HOME VISITING SERVICES AND THE INCREASED WORKFORCE COMPENSATION AS A RESULT OF THE ILLINOIS COMPETITIVE HV NOFO FOR SFY26. IN ADDITION, COMMUNITY READINESS AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY AND IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS. GOAL(S) AND OBJECTIVES: GOAL 1: PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HOME VISITING SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE FAMILIES LIVING IN COMMUNITIES THAT FACE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING POSITIVE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES. 1.1 COORDINATED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS;1.2 CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR COMMUNITIES. GOAL 2: STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ADDRESS PREVENTIVE AND PRIMARY CARE SERVICES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN UNDER TITLE V OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT. 2.1 COLLABORATION AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE TITLE V PROGRAM; 2.2 INCREASE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT - PROGRAM LEVEL; 2.3 DATA TO IMPROVE FAMILY OUTCOMES AND SERVICES; 2.4 FEEDBACK ON PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES. GOAL 3: IMPROVE COORDINATION OF SERVICES WITHIN COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE APPROVED STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. 3.1 CI PROGRAMS WILL ANALYZE DATA TO IMPROVE COORDINATION AND FAMILY OUTCOMES; 3.2 IMPROVE HOW PRIORITY POPULATIONS ARE SYSTEMATICALLY CONNECTED TO HV; 3.3 STRENGTHEN SYSTEMS CONNECTIONS BETWEEN HV AND OTHER SERVICES INCLUDING HOUSING. NEW GOAL 4: SUPPORT ALIGNMENT OF THE STATE’S HV SYSTEM WITHIN THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. 4.1: DEVELOP ALIGNED STRATEGIES FOR GROWING AND RETAINING THE HV WORKFORCE; 4.2: DEVELOP A DATA-DRIVEN ALIGNED COST MODELING APPROACH; 4.3: DEVELOP ALIGNED STATEWIDE APPROACH FOR COORDINATED INTAKE; 4.4: DEVELOP AND PROMOTE ALIGNED HV MESSAGING; 4.5: TEST A BI-DIRECTIONAL HV FAMILY ENGAGEMENT LOOP. APPROACH. MAJOR METHODS AND ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY ASSESSMENT, CQI AND MONITORING; CAPACITY-BUILDING; PARTNERSHIP WITH MATERNAL HEALTH INITIATIVES; SUPPORTING LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES (LIAS) WITH FAMILY ENGAGEMENT; UTILIZING A COMPREHENSIVE COST MODEL FOR HIGH QUALITY HV SERVICES; BUILDING COMMUNITY READINESS IN NEW COMMUNITIES, AND COORDINATING REFERRALS BETWEEN HV AND CHILD WELFARE, BETTER BIRTH OUTCOMES (CASE MANAGEMENT), AND UNIVERSAL NEWBORN SUPPORTS. CASELOAD: TOTAL PROPOSED CASELOAD OF MIECHV FAMILY SLOTS FOR EACH FFY: 913. MIECHV COMMUNITIES. IL WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE FOLLOWING AT-RISK COUNTIES: COOK: DUPAGE; KANE; KANKAKEE, LIVINGSTON, MACON, PEORIA, ST. CLAIR, STEPHENSON, VERMILION, AND WINNEBAGO COUNTIES. LIAS. IL WILL CONTINUE TO CONTRACT WITH 20 LIAS THAT SERVE A TOTAL OF 11 COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL LIAS MAY BE ADDED IN YEAR 2, CONTINGENT ON AVAILABLE FUNDING. MATCHING FUNDS. IL MIECHV PLANS TO USE FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS TO SUSTAIN THE COMPENSATION INCREASES THAT BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2025 AND TO CONTINUE COMMUNITY READINESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN SOUTH SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY (CHICAGO AREA) AND IN CASS-MORGAN COUNTIES (IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS). THE SOURCE OF NON-FEDERAL FUNDS IS STATE GEN