Title
Resolution to Accept and Appropriate the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Grant Awarded by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Health to the City of Hampton, Virginia Grant Fund for City's Department of Youth, Education, and Family Services (also known as Healthy Families) to Continue the Parents As Teachers Home Visiting Education and Support Program
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this resolution is to accept and appropriate federal grant funds to permit continuation of the Parents As Teachers Home Visiting Education and Support Program for children ages 3 months through 5 years.
Discussion:
In 2010, Congress established the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting ("MIECHV") Program to provide federal funds to states and tribal entities to support voluntary, evidence based, home visiting services to at-risk families. Voluntary home visiting programs have been shown to be an effective way to support families and children experiencing risk factors, such as stress, social isolation, language barriers, and poverty.
The purpose of the MIECHV Program is to support the delivery of coordinated and comprehensive high-quality voluntary early childhood home visiting services to eligible families. The Health Resources and Services Administration administers this program in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families.
The City received the first round of MIECHV grant funding March 13, 2013. This grant was awarded to provide the Healthy Families America (a national program of Prevent Child Abuse America) evidence-based home visitation program for families experiencing extreme high risk factors, including substance abuse, mental illness, and family violence to eligible families in the City of Hampton. That funding was renewable for 3 years, ending on September 30, 2016. The City was again awarded a MIECHV Grant on October 1, 2016; that grant is renewable for 4 years. This grant is awarded to make available the Parents As Teachers Home Visiting Education and Support Program to eligible families residing in the City of Hampton. Parents As Teachers is an evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model. The services provided are free and voluntary for eligible families. The Parents As Teachers model has four primary goals:
1. Provide parents with child development knowledge and parenting support;
2. Provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues;
3. Prevent child abuse and neglect; and
4. Increase children’s school readiness.
In Hampton, the Parents As Teachers program provides services for families with children ages 3 months through 5 years, military families, uninsured or under-insured, and those involved in Early Intervention Services or Child Protective Services. Continuation of the MIECHV Grant will allow the Parents As Teachers services to be continued and initiated with eligible families in the City.
No in kind contribution is required, however the Virginia Department of Health asks for information regarding the City’s contribution to that those programs so as to have a complete picture of direct local support for the programs. The City provides support through its funding of the Family Services Manager, Business Operations Manager, Program Administrator, and Administrative Support Staff.
Impact:
Federal funds in the amount of $372,923.00, to be used to provide services to 110 families.
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve.
Body
WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Health's Office of Family Health Services has awarded the City of Hampton, Virginia the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation ("MIECHV") Grant in the amount of $372,923.00 in federal funds with no local cash or in-kind match required;
WHEREAS, the MIECHV Grant is used by the City's Department of Youth, Education, and Family Services (also known as Healthy Families) to administer the Parents As Teachers Home Visiting Education and Support Program for children ages 3 months through 5 years; and
WHEREAS, the grant award is for the period of 10/01/2017 through 09/30/2018.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Hampton, Virginia accepts and appropriates to the Grant Fund the MIECHV Grant awarded by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Family Health Services in the amount of $372,923.00, and any supplemental funding, in accordance with the grant agreement for use by the City's Department of Youth, Education, and Family Services.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council authorizes the City Manager, or her designee, to take the necessary actions to implement this grant award.