National Day of Action for Home Visiting Reauthorization

By MB -
From our friends at CWLA
Today, advocates across the country are coming together to support reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Help us overwhelm Capitol Hill with thousands of messages about how home visiting helps children and families. Act now to reauthorize MIECHV.

Action: Call Washington. Get connected through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask your Senators and Representative to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Follow these simple steps:
  • Call 202-224-3121. Tell the operator who answers the phone the name of one of your Senators. (Not sure? Look up your Senators here.)
  • Once you are connected to your Senator's office, tell the staff person who answers your name and that you are a constituent (name your city and state).
  • Then, say, "I want Congress to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, because home visiting is an evidence-based resource that helps children grow up safe, healthy and ready to learn. Thank you."
  • Great job! Just two more calls: one to your other Senator and another to your Representative. (Need to find your Representative? Check here.)
Action: Tweet Washington. Find your Senator's Twitter handle here and your Representative's Twitter handle here. Tweet your support for the MIECHV program by using or adapting one of these sample messages. Show your support all day, but be sure to tweet between 2 and 3 pm ET to be a part of the #HomeVisiting Twitter Storm.
  • Research has shown that #HomeVisiting programs reduce abuse and neglect. #ReauthorizeMIECHV @InsertTwitterHandle
  • #ReauthorizeMIECHV @InsertTwitterHandle because #HomeVisiting is an evidence-based resource that helps children grow up safe & healthy.
  • Children benefit when parents get 411/guidance/help connecting w/resources 2meet family life challenges #HomeVisiting @InsertTwitterHandle
  • Kids develop the ability2lead productive/satisfying/independent lives in the context of their families #HomeVisiting @InsertTwitterHandle
Want to do more? Help spread the word by forwarding this alert to your friends, family, colleagues and networks. Encourage others to take action with you today!

Background: MIECHV supports evidence-based home visiting programs that prevent maltreatment and provide:
  • parent education and support,
  • health screenings and other service linkages for children and families,
  • school preparation, and
  • breakdown isolation and engage families in community life.
Home visitation is an effective, research-based and cost-efficient way to bridge the gap between vulnerable families and the resources that will ensure that children grow up safe, healthy and ready to learn.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act first authorized the MIECHV program and mandatory funding for was set at $1.5 billion over 5 years. The MIECHV program is run jointly by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The federal program will end if Congress doesn't act by September 30th when its authorization expires. President Obama's FY 2015 Budget Proposal includes $500 million for the MIECHV, which is a proposed $100 million increase over the FY 2014 level.

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