Congressional authorization for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) expires September 30th. If lawmakers don’t act, programs and providers across the country that rely on MIECHV will soon be forced to drastically cut home visiting services, as funding from the current authorization will begin to run out.
Congress must extend the MIECHV program to ensure stability for families, effectiveness of programs, and expansion of resources.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives passed a MIECHV reauthorization bill. While this legislation isn’t perfect, it is a positive step toward ensuring this vital program lives on. A bipartisan bill to extend and strengthen MIECHV has also been introduced in the Senate by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ). Now is the time for lawmakers to come together to push MIECHV reauthorization over the finish line, and increase funding to reach more families.
Visit FFYF.org/MIECHV to learn more.