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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 115
Introduced by Raybould, 28; DeBoer, 10; Vargas, 7.
Read first time January 06, 2023
Committee: Health and Human Services
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to family home visits; to adopt the Family
2 Home Visitation Act.
3 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. Sections 1 to 9 of this act shall be known and may be
2 cited as the Family Home Visitation Act.
3 Sec. 2. For purposes of the Family Home Visitation Act:
4 (1) Department means the Department of Health and Human Services;
5 (2) Evidence-based program means a home visitation program described
6 in section 4 of this act; and
7 (3) Home visitation means a voluntary program that is carried out in
8 relevant settings, primarily in the homes of families with one or more
9 children five years of age or younger or pregnant persons.
10 Sec. 3. (1) The department shall only fund a home visitation
11 program that includes periodic home visits to improve the health, well-
12 being, and self-sufficiency of parents and their children.
13 (2) A home visitation program funded by the State of Nebraska shall
14 provide visits by nurses, social workers, and other early childhood and
15 health professionals or trained and supervised lay workers.
16 (3) A home visitation program funded by the State of Nebraska shall
17 accomplish one or more of the following:
18 (a) Improve maternal, infant, or child health outcomes including
19 reducing preterm births;
20 (b) Promote positive parenting practices;
21 (c) Build healthy parent and child relationships;
22 (d) Enhance social and emotional development;
23 (e) Support cognitive development;
24 (f) Improve the health and well-being of the family;
25 (g) Empower families toward economic self-sufficiency;
26 (h) Reduce child maltreatment and injury; and
27 (i) Increase school readiness.
28 Sec. 4. The department shall only fund a home visitation program
29 that meets all of the following criteria:
30 (1) Is an evidence-based program founded on a clear, consistent
31 program or model;
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1 (2) Is associated with, or certified by, a national organization,
2 institution of higher education, or national or state public health
3 institute;
4 (3) Has comprehensive home visitation standards that ensure high
5 quality service delivery and continuous quality improvement;
6 (4) Follows a program manual or design that specifies the purpose,
7 outcomes, duration, and frequency of service;
8 (5) Employs well-trained and culturally competent staff;
9 (6) Provides continual professional development relevant to the
10 specific program model being delivered;
11 (7) Demonstrates strong links to other community-based services;
12 (8) Operates within an organization that ensures compliance with
13 home visitation standards; and
14 (9) Operates with fidelity to the program model.
15 Sec. 5. Home visitation funds may be used for workforce purposes
16 and to assist the programs and individuals in receiving and maintaining
17 certification for home visitation providers.
18 Sec. 6. The Family Home Visitation Act does not apply to a program
19 that provides a single home visit or infrequent home visits.
20 Sec. 7. The department shall create a website for home visitation
21 in Nebraska that includes (1) the types of programs offered, (2)
22 locations, and (3) contact information with direct email links.
23 Sec. 8. The department may adopt and promulgate rules and
24 regulations to carry out the Family Home Visitation Act.
25 Sec. 9. No later than October 1, 2024, and by October 30 of each
26 year thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the Clerk of the
27 Legislature. Such report shall be submitted electronically, be made
28 available on the department's website, and shall include the following
29 information, if available:
30 (1) The type and location of home visitation programs available in
31 Nebraska;
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1 (2) The goals and achieved outcomes of home visitation programs in
2 Nebraska;
3 (3) The number of families served by each program;
4 (4) Demographic data on the families served;
5 (5) The total amount of funds expended for programs under this act;
6 (6) Model descriptions and model specific outcomes;
7 (7) The training and professional credentials required for each
8 program model;
9 (8) Eligibility criteria for each model;
10 (9) Target populations for each model;
11 (10) Wait list information, if applicable; and
12 (11) Referral sources, if available.
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