PA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

What this award covers

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - PROJECT ABSTRACT PURPOSE: THE GOAL HAS BEEN TO SUSTAIN AND EXPAND A STATEWIDE SYSTEM OF HIGH-QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITATION (EBHV) SERVICES THAT STRENGTHENS AND SUPPORTS FAMILIES, EMPOWERING THEM TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH, SAFETY, AND DEVELOPMENT ACROSS ALL COMMUNITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH. FUNDING IS PRIMARILY AWARDED TO SUBRECIPIENTS TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE POPULATIONS THEY SERVE. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: OCDEL WILL ENSURE THAT A CONTINUED SUCCESS RATE OF 100% OF THE LIAS DELIVER EBHV SERVICES WITH FIDELITY TO STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGH THE END OF THE CURRENT GRANT AGREEMENT CONTRACTS, WHICH WILL END ON JUNE 30, 2026. THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE FAMILY SUPPORTS REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA) WILL ESTABLISH A NEW SET OF CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS BEGINNING ON JULY 1,2027 WITH THE SAME FIDELITY STANDARDS. THIS NEW RFA WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE IMPLEMENTATION, IMPROVE SERVICE DELIVERY, AND SUPPORT STRATEGIC EXPANSION. THE REFRESHED APPLICATION WILL ESTABLISH ALL NEW CONTRACTS AND UPDATED TERMS AND CONDITIONS WITH BOTH CURRENT AND NEW LIAS ENSURING THAT SERVICES REMAIN RELEVANT, AVAILABLE, AND ALIGNED WITH BEST PRACTICES AND MIECHV STATUTES. MIECHV OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVE 1: REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA). THE DEPARTMENT, WITH OCDEL, WILL ISSUE A NEW COMPETITIVE FAMILY SUPPORT REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA) NO LATER THAN END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2026, WITH NEW AGREEMENTS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN ON JULY 1, 2027. OBJECTIVE 2: STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS AND LEADERSHIP. OCDEL WILL ENSURE THAT ALL LIAS PARTICIPATE IN AT LEAST 75% OF THE OFFERED FAMILY SUPPORT LEADERSHIP MEETINGS, WHICH WILL BE CREATED USING AN UPDATED FORMAT. STAKEHOLDERS ARE ADDITIONALLY INVITED. INVITES AND CONTENT WILL BE POSTED ON THE FAMILY SUPPORT WEBSITE FOR AWARENESS AND REVIEW. OBJECTIVE 3: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA). OCDEL WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UP TO FOUR (4) TRAININGS, COMMUNITY OF PRACTICES, OR ROUNDTABLE EVENTS EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR (IN-PERSON OR VIRTUAL). OBJECTIVE 4: MODEL AND LIA FIDELITY. OCDEL WILL WORK IN CONTINUED COORDINATION WITH EBHV MODEL DEVELOPERS FOR ALL LIAS RECEIVING MIECHV FUNDING TO ENSURE FIDELITY OF EACH MODEL IS MET. OCDEL WILL CONNECT WITH ANY NEW MODEL DEVELOPERS, IF APPLICABLE, FOR LIAS AWARDED THROUGH THE INCREASED MIECHV FUNDS. OBJECTIVE 5: ENROLLMENT. OCDEL WILL CONTINUE WITH ESTABLISHED POLICIES THAT ALL PROGRAMS MAINTAIN AT LEAST THE MIECHV STANDARD OF 85% ENROLLMENT. OBJECTIVE 6: QUALITY DATA. OCDEL WILL ENSURE THAT LIAS HAVE AT LEAST 85% OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES COMPLETED IN THE FAMILY SUPPORT DATA SYSTEM WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE SCHEDULED DUE DATE. APPROACH: FIVE EBHV MODELS ARE SUPPORTED BY MIECHV FUNDS: CHILD FIRST, EARLY HEAD START, NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, PARENTS AS TEACHERS, AND SAFECARE AUGMENTED. TOTAL PROPOSED CASELOAD OF MIECHV FAMILY SLOTS: 2,400 FAMILIES COMMUNITIES (36 COUNTIES) SERVED BY MIECHV FUNDS: ADAMS, ALLEGHENY, BEAVER, BERKS, BLAIR, CAMBRIA, CAMERON, CARBON, CLARION, CLEARFIELD, CLINTON, COLUMBIA, CRAWFORD, ERIE, FAYETTE, INDIANA, JEFFERSON, JUNIATA, LACKAWANNA, LANCASTER, LAWRENCE, MCKEAN, MERCER, MIFFLIN, MONTGOMERY, MONTOUR, NORTHUMBERLAND, PERRY, PHILADELPHIA, PIKE, POTTER, SNYDER, UNION, WARREN, WYOMING, AND YORK. LIAS: A TOTAL OF 26 LIAS ARE DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE MIECHV FUNDING. MATCHING FUNDS: FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT TWO ESTABLISHED LIAS SERVING APPROXIMATELY 413 FAMILIES IN PHILADELPHIA AND ALLEGHENY COUNTIES USING TWO DIFFERENT MODELS – PARENTS AS TEACHERS AND NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP. NON-FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS WILL COME OUT OF THE EBHV STATE BUDGET AND WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT AN ESTABLISHED LIA SERVING APPROXIMATELY 80 FAMILIES IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY USING THE FAMILY CHECK UP MODEL.