HB 200: Child Prenatal Services Home Visits

H,B, 200, P.N. 633 (MUNDY). This would create the Ounce of Prevention Act.
This would establish intensive home visits for first child prenatal services. The Children’s Trust Fund Board would provide grants for and oversee these services. A standardized assessment tool would identify at-risk families and have a home visitor inform these families of services in which they may voluntarily participate. Services offered would be long term, would work with the entire family, and would include child health and development, childhood immunizations, and developmental assessments. These services would be confidential and periodically evaluated. Referrals to other services, when proper, would be made.
A home visitor would be required to be a certified registered nurse and a qualified home visitor. A home visitor would be required to be have pre-service and on-going training on child abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, drug exposed infants and parents, child development, or of available services. A home visitor would receive direct and intensive supervision and undergo on-going reviews.