Issue Position: Education Begins at Home Act

Issue Position

Education Begins at Home Act of 2009

Congressman Davis introduced the Education Begins at Home act on April 30, 2009 to expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation that increase school readiness, child abuse and neglect prevention, and early identification of developmental and health delays, including potential mental health concerns.

The Education Begins at Home Act of 2009 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make matching grants to states, Indians, territories, and possessions to establish or expand quality early childhood home visitation programs for families that are expecting a child or have pre-kindergarten children.

It allots funds among state grantees on the basis of their share of children from birth through age five who are from impoverished families and directs the Secretary to award competitive grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) and experienced public or private community-based entities to support and expand quality, local early childhood home visitation programs for families that have English language learners and are expecting a child or have pre-kindergarten children.

The Secretary of Defense is directed to make competitive grants to LEAs, schools, and community-based organizations that serve military dependents to support and expand high quality early childhood home visitation programs for military families that are expecting a child or have pre-kindergarten children.

Each grantee is required to provide: (1) voluntary early childhood home visitation at least once a month to as many eligible families as is practicable; (2) training and technical assistance to program staff; and (3) program participants with access to other early childhood and family services.

The Secretary is directed to develop and implement a public information and educational campaign to inform the public and new parents about the importance of proper care for infants and children under five years of age.

Source