CHIP Isn’t the Only Program for Children and Babies That Congress Let Expire
The lesser-known Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV), which is federally-funded but administered by states, also expired that day.
The program helps at-risk parents -- teen mothers and substance abusers, for example -- care for their children during their first years of life. Nurses and social workers provide them with pre- and postnatal care, parenting skills and counseling on education and job opportunities. It varies from state to state, but most participants receive home visits until their kids are two or three.
The federal government has funded the program for fiscal year 2018, but after that, it's uncertain. Without more federal funding, states may start freezing enrollment.
In
A bill to revive the program through 2022, introduced by
The program served 160,000 families in 2016, according to
"This program is really built on continued involvement in the parent's lives," says
When a program like this runs out of money, there's no longer a nurse checking up to see if a child is developing at the right stages or if a mom is getting her breastfeeding support, she says. "That's the message we're trying to drive home. This funding directly impacts families."
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