PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

What this award covers

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - THE PUERTO RICO MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM (PR-MIECHVP), LOCALLY KNOWN AS FAMILIAS SALUDABLES PUERTO RICO (FSPR), IS A HOME VISITING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN UNTIL THEIR CHILD REACHES 36 MONTHS OF AGE. THE PROGRAM’S MAIN GOAL IS TO ENHANCE THE AVAILABILITY OF HOME-VISITING SERVICES IN PUERTO RICO, FOCUSING ON STRENGTHENING THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN. PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT THEIR BABY’S DEVELOPMENT, AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES, BRAIN DEVELOPMENT-PROMOTING ACTIVITIES, FAMILY PLANNING, GOAL-SETTING, INCREASING AUTONOMY, AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES STRENGTH-BASED, FAMILY-CENTERED PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIP-BASED INTERACTIONS TO DELIVER SERVICES TO HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN. THE PROGRAM’S GOALS AND MAIN OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) IMPROVE HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE (BY 09/29/28, INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 75% THE RATE OF MOTHERS ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS PRENATALLY OR WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY WHO RECEIVED A POSTPARTUM VISIT WITH A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WITHIN 8 WEEKS (56 DAYS) OF DELIVERY); (2 REDUCE INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES (BY 09/29/28, REDUCE OR MAINTAIN AT 5% THE RATE OF INJURY-RELATED VISITS TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD AMONG CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS); 3) IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS AND ACHIEVEMENT (BY 09/29/28, INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 70% THE RATE OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WHO REPORTED THAT DURING A TYPICAL WEEK S/HE READ, TOLD STORIES AND/OR SANG SONGS WITH THEIR CHILD DAILY, EVERY DAY); 4) REDUCE RATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (BY 09/29/28 INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 80% THE RATE OF PRIMARY CAREGIVERS ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS WHO ARE SCREENED FOR INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF ENROLMENT USING A VALIDATED TOOL); 5) INCREASE FAMILY ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY (BY 09/29/28, INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 60% THE RATE OF PRIMARY CAREGIVERS WHO ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE OR EQUIVALENT WHO SUBSEQUENTLY ENROLLED IN OR MAINTAINED CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL OR EQUIVALENT DURING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN HOME VISITING); 6) IMPROVE COORDINATION AND REFERRALS TO OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT (BY 09/29/28, INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 70% THE RATE OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HOME VISITS WITH POSITIVE SCREENS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS (MEASURED USING A VALIDATED TOOL) WHO RECEIVE EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES IN A TIMELY MANNER); 7) CARRY OUT AN ACTIVITY FOR PARTICIPATING FAMILIES AND STAFF (BY 09/29/28, WE WILL HAVE COORDINATED AND CARRIED OUT 100% AN ACTIVITY FOR PARTICIPATING FAMILIES AND STAFF); 8) EXPANSION OF SERVICES (BY 09/29/2027, A LIA WILL BE RECRUITED TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF HUMACAO, LAS PIEDRAS, MANATÍ AND VEGA BAJA). FSPR WILL IMPLEMENT THE EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA (HFA) MODEL WITH THE GROWING GREAT KIDS CURRICULUM FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN IN 22 MUNICIPALITIES: OROCOVIS, BARRANQUITAS, MAUNABO, PATILLAS, ARROYO, LARES, QUEBRADILLAS, SANTA ISABEL, SALINAS, TOA ALTA, NARANJITO, MOCA, AGUADA, PONCE, JUANA DÍAZ, VILLALBA, LOÍZA, RÍO GRANDE, HUMACAO, LAS PIEDRAS, MANATÍ, AND VEGA BAJA. THE EXPANSION INTO THE LAST FOUR MUNICIPALITIES WILL BE SUPPORTED BY PUERTO RICO GENERAL FUND NON-FEDERAL FUNDS, AND FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS WILL BE APPLIED TO FURTHER ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY. EIGHT LIAS WILL BE CONTRACTED TO DELIVER SERVICES ACROSS THESE MUNICIPALITIES. THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE A TOTAL OF 245 FAMILIES, WITH 35 FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (FSSS) AT 37.5 FTE FOR THE FY 2026-2028 PERIOD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HFA CASELOAD POLICY.