This bill amends the Rhode Island Family Home-Visiting Act to enhance the state's home-visiting services for vulnerable families with young children. It requires the Rhode Island Department of Health to coordinate a comprehensive home-visiting system that utilizes evidence-based models to improve child and family outcomes. The bill mandates the department to submit an annual report by March 1 that outlines the components of the state's family home-visiting system, including state and federal funding amounts and sources. This report will be shared with the General Assembly and made publicly available on the department's website.

The report must include detailed information on the number of families served by the First Connections program, demographic data on families served, duration of participation, cross-departmental coordination, and the total annual federal MIECHV funding available, received, and spent by the state. It will also require an analysis of implementation successes and challenges, including those related to funding, provider contracts, staffing, and family enrollment and retention. Additionally, the report will analyze how other states have combined Medicaid and MIECHV home-visiting grants to support and sustain home-visiting programs.

The bill establishes that the state shall allocate the minimum amount required to draw down the maximum available federal MIECHV dollars, which will be used for funding home-visiting services. The changes aim to address the decline in enrollment in home-visiting programs and ensure that providers have the necessary resources to recruit and retain qualified staff. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
677: 23-13.7-2