STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES

What this award covers

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - PROJECT TITLE: FAMILY FOUNDATIONS HOME VISITING PROGRAM APPLICANT NAME: WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES MAILING ADDRESS: 201 WEST WASHINGTON AVENUE, MADISON, WI 53703 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: TERRI ENTERS, HOME VISITING COORDINATOR PHONE: 608-422-6969 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: HTTPS://DCF.WISCONSIN.GOV/CWPORTAL/HOMEVISITING ANNOTATION: WISCONSIN’S FAMILY FOUNDATIONS HOME VISITING (FFHV) PROGRAM IS LED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (DCF) AND SUPPORTED BY PARTNER AGENCIES, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (DHS), THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (DPI), THE WISCONSIN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION BOARD (CANPB), AND THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH (OCMH). THE FFHV PROGRAM PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING SERVICES WITH THE GOALS OF IMPROVING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AND SCHOOL READINESS AND REDUCING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. PURPOSE: BUILDING ON PREVIOUS MIECHV FUNDS AND AVAILABLE STATE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUE (GPR) AND TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) DOLLARS, THE FY26 MIECHV GRANT OF $9,308,174 AND MATCHING GRANT OF $2,133,185 WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE FFHV PROGRAM TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING SERVICES TO HIGH-NEED FAMILIES SUSCEPTIBLE TO POOR CHILD AND FAMILY OUTCOMES. GOALS FOR THE FY26 MIECHV GRANT INCLUDE: 1) BUILD ON THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING IN AT-RISK COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING EXPANDING HOME VISITING CAPACITY TO SERVE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FAMILIES. 2) ENSURE HOME VISITING PROGRAMS AND STAFF STATEWIDE RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROMOTE BEST PRACTICE AND EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY, SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION, AND BRING ABOUT MEANINGFUL PRACTICE CHANGE IN SERVING MIECHV ENROLLED FAMILIES. 3) CREATE A CULTURE OF QUALITY AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OF FAMILY VOICE IN HOME VISITING, USING BENCHMARK REPORTING, CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI), AND EVALUATION TO INFORM HOW HOME VISITING SERVICES ARE DELIVERED IN WISCONSIN. 4) EMBED EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING IN WELL-COORDINATED AND ROBUST STATEWIDE AND LOCAL EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM. 5) PARTNER WITH KEY AGENCIES TO SUPPORT A COORDINATED LINKAGE AND REFERRAL NETWORK AND CONTINUUM OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PERINATAL SERVICES FOR FAMILIES IN ELIGIBLE COMMUNITIES. METHODOLOGY: DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF FY26 MIECHV GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT SERVICES TO HIGH-NEED FAMILIES IN 40 COUNTIES AND 6 TRIBES THROUGH 2,172 FAMILY SLOTS. WITH THE NEW STATE PROCUREMENT TO BE ISSUED IN SPRING OF 2026, THE NUMBER OF FAMILY SLOTS WILL BE DETERMINED TO START ON OCTOBER 1, 2027. SERVICES COULD BE PROVIDED USING FIVE EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS: HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA, PARENTS AS TEACHERS, EARLY HEAD START-HOME BASED, FAMILY SPIRIT AND NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP. DCF WORKS CLOSELY WITH HOME VISITING PROGRAMS AND PARTNER AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE BIRTH TO THREE PROGRAM, TITLE V, AND WIC, TO SUPPORT ELIGIBLE FAMILIES WITH APPROPRIATE LINKAGES AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.