HHS Announces Additional Funding Opportunities Related to the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation Program

This afternoon the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that up to $99 million in additional competitive grants would be available to states to enhance existing Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation Programs through the Affordable Care Act. The HHS press release can be found here.

Eligible entities include the 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and the District of Columbia. Applications will be due on July 1, 2011.

Two categories of competitive grants are available to states to support the effective implementation of home visiting programs in addition to the regular FY 2011 Home Visitation formula-based grants. The first category is “expansion grants” that will recognize states and jurisdictions that have already made significant progress toward a high-quality home visiting program or that have successfully embedded their home visiting program into a comprehensive, high-quality early childhood system. Approximately seven to 10 four-year expansion grants will be awarded. The second category are “development grants” available to states and jurisdictions that currently have modest home visiting programs and want to build on existing efforts. There will be 10 to 12 two-year developmental grants awarded.

States applying for either grant will be able to use the funds to enhance one or more priority elements of a home visiting program or to initiate a statewide expansion of one home visiting priority element currently operating at a local or regional level. Funding beyond the first year for either grant will be dependent on appropriated funds in subsequent years.

The application and instructions for submission can be found on Grants.gov.