Menendez, Booker Announce $11.5 mil to Expand Home Visitation Services to NJ Families

Press Release

U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker today announced the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services has been awarded $11,494,745 to expand its Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program services to women during pregnancy and to parents with young children. This is in addition to $2 million the state received in formula funding.

"Home visitations by nurses, social workers and other professionals are proven to improve the prenatal health, development, education and economic self-sufficiency of low-income children and families," said Sen. Menendez, who was a key architect of the program. "This funding will go a long way to help us build upon proven programs in New Jersey that are already helping children in at-risk households."

"This funding will help expand a proven program that supports at-risk families and helps mothers and children succeed," said Sen. Booker. "The Home Visitation Initiative pairs highly trained home visitors with vulnerable families to ensure that babies are born healthy, parents learn to provide competent care for their children, and children are prepared for school and lifelong success. This support will make a lasting difference across our state in the lives of many New Jersey families."

With this grant, New Jersey has received more than $25 million through the MIECHV Program, allowing the state to expand its Home Visitation Initiative to more at-risk families. These funds were awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services. Through this program, nurses, social workers, or other professionals visit at-risk families in their homes to evaluate their living situations and provide information on resources available to improve the health, educational, and economic opportunities for at-risk children. Resources include health care, early education, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, and nutrition education or assistance.

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