What is MIECHV?

The Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program is the main source of federal funding for home visiting in Illinois. MIECHV was designed to expand voluntary, evidence-based home visiting programs across the U.S. and improve the outcomes for pregnant women and families, particularly those considered at-risk. For more information about the federal MIECHV program, please click visit  the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) website, the federal entity that administers MIECHV at the national level.

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What are the goals of MIECHV?

MIECHV has six main goals:

  • Improved maternal and newborn health;
  • Prevention of child injuries, child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment, and reduction of emergency department visits;
  • Improvement in school readiness and achievement;
  • Reduction in crime or domestic violence;
  • Improvements in family economic self-sufficiency; and
  • Improvements in the coordination and referrals for other community resources and supports.

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What Impact has MIECHV had in Illinois?

MIECHV has been a vital part of Illinois’ home visiting and early childhood systems. This is reflected in three main areas:

  • Expansion and improvement of direct services – MIECHV funding has been used to fund 13 communities throughout the state and for projects that improve provider capacity and quality of services provided to families, like Infant Mental Health consultation.
  • Funding innovations – MIECHV has enabled funding for pilot projects focused on very high risk families, including pregnant and parenting youth in the child welfare system and homeless families.
  • Promotion of efficiency – MIECHV has enabled better streamlining of services and improved efficiencies through coordinated efforts among agencies within communities and coordinated intake processes.

 

Click here for examples of how MIECHV-funded services have successfully helped young children and families in Illinois. These examples have been compiled by our partners at Children’s Home + Aid.

What are the MIECHV Communities in Illinois?

In the state fiscal year of 2017, the MIECHV grant will fund 34 home visiting and 6 coordinated intake agencies in thirteen pilot communities. The thirteen funded MIECHV community collaborations are:

  • Southside Cluster; (Englewood/ West Englewood/ Greater Grand Crossing in Chicago);
  • Cicero;
  • Elgin;
  • Rockford;
  • Macon County;
  • Vermilion County;
  • Austin neighborhood in Chicago;
  • North Lawndale neighborhood in Chicago;
  • Peoria;
  • Stephenson/Jo Davies Counties;
  • Kankakee County; East St. Louis; and
  • Mid-Central Cluster (McLean, Piatt and Dewitt Counties)

For a complete list of agencies and services funded by MIECHV click here.

What Home Visiting Models are funded in Illinois through MIECHV?

MIECHV funds three home visiting models in Illinois:

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Go to Data and Reports for infographics fact sheets.  Go to University of Illinois CPRD’s MIECHV Page for Annual Reports, Benchmark Reports, and Research Briefs.