Source: https://imprintnews.org/
The U.S. Administration for Children and Families has allocated $3 million to six tribal communities to expand home-visiting programs for families with young children, aiming to promote their well-being and prevent foster care placements. This funding is part of a broader investment exceeding $30 million in the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, targeting expectant parents and children up to kindergarten age.
Key Highlight:
-Programs like Family Spirit, recognized for their effectiveness in Native American communities, provide in-home parent training and support, resulting in reduced stress, depression, and substance abuse among mothers, as well as improved child behavior and developmental outcomes. These initiatives emphasize cultural relevance and community collaboration, reflecting a commitment to enhancing the health and success of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families.
-Recipients of the federal funds include the Seneca Nation of Indians, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Future Generations Collaborative, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium. These funds are intended to support the development and implementation of culturally relevant home-visiting programs across these tribal communities.
-Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Hild expressed enthusiasm about the new grant recipients for tribal home-visiting programs. He highlighted their collaboration with communities to develop programs that reflect cultural values and address the priorities and aspirations for future generations. Hild emphasized the agency’s commitment to supporting these efforts while respecting tribal sovereignty, aiming to enhance essential services for young American Indian and Alaska Native children and their families.
-The Administration for Children and Families allows home-visiting services on tribal lands to receive funding for interventions that are either evidence-based or considered promising. Family Spirit, a program established in 1995, focuses on intergenerational behavioral health for Native American mothers from pregnancy through their children’s third birthdays.
-Developed in partnership with Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and Apache tribal communities, it has shown effectiveness through randomized controlled trials. Participants in Family Spirit report reduced stress and depression among mothers, decreased substance abuse, and improved emotional regulation in children, aiming to prevent future behavioral health issues.
-Tribal home-visiting models receiving federal funding must be community-driven and collaborative, tailored to local needs and the tribes’ implementation capabilities. Examples include Parents as Teachers, Nurse-Family Partnership, and the Parent-Child Assistance Program.
-A 2021 randomized trial demonstrated that a universal newborn nurse home-visiting program reduced emergency medical care for children by 33% and decreased child protective services investigations by 39% over five years. The programs aim to promote the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families, supporting their happiness, health, and overall success, as outlined by the Administration for Children and Families.
-The home-visiting approach focuses on visits by service providers to enhance maternal and child health, support early learning, and strengthen family dynamics to prevent abuse and neglect. Federal-funded programs must be culturally grounded, high-quality, and expand connections with child-serving systems while building evidence for home-based services. Eligible recipients include pregnant women, expectant fathers, and caregivers of children under age 5. Grantees must track progress towards meeting legislatively mandated benchmarks for families.
-Under the Biden administration, funding for tribal implementation of these programs has increased significantly, with $30.8 million allocated this fiscal year through the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. This initiative has benefited 82 tribal communities and 18 urban Indian communities across the nation, marking continued growth and investment in supporting American Indian and Alaska Native families.
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