Home Visiting Accountability Act
Issue: Empowering & Educating Communities
Target Level of Office: State
Policy Origin: New Mexico State Legislature
Poilcy/Bill Number: Senate Bill 365
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=238
Summary Narrative of the Policy: Home visiting programs offer a variety of family-focused
services to expectant parents and families with new babies and young children. They address
issues such as maternal and child health, positive parenting practices, safe home environments,
and access to services.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• The demands of raising an infant or toddler can prove challenging for even the bestprepared parent; however, for those facing the additional hurdles of being young, single,
and/or low-income, proven programs that help parents learn to care for their children
and themselves are all the more critical to ensuring that families grow and thrive.
• Voluntary home visiting programs partner with local agencies and community based
organizations to match parents with trained professionals to deliver a variety of
informational, educational, developmental, referral, and other support services for eligible
families who are expecting or who have children who have not yet entered kindergarten
so as to promote parental competence, successful early childhood health, and to prevent
adverse childhood experiences.
• According to Pew, home visiting programs have been proven to: decrease the incidence
of low-birthweight births by nearly half, saving states $28,000 - $40,000 for each one
averted; cut instances of child abuse and neglect almost in half; and help children build
critical pre-literacy skills and improve achievement scores. Quality home visiting programs
lay the foundation for children’s healthy development and taxpayers reap the benefit
when many of our nation’s costliest social challenges – school failure, child abuse, and
growing welfare costs – are prevented.
68
State Level
Policy
2014 Book