The proposed bill amends the Rhode Island Family Home-Visiting Act to enhance the state's home-visiting services for families with young children. It emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences and relationships in a child's development and learning. The bill mandates the Rhode Island Department of Health to coordinate a statewide home-visiting system that utilizes evidence-based models to improve child and family outcomes. It also establishes a referral system to prioritize families at risk for services and requires the department to issue an annual report detailing the home-visiting program's components, funding sources, and outcomes.

Key changes include the insertion of new language that specifies the components of the home-visiting system, the definition of "First Connections," and the requirement for the state to allocate the minimum amount necessary to access maximum federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) funds. The bill deletes previous reporting requirements and adds new reporting elements, such as funding amounts, demographic data, and an analysis of other states' successful funding strategies for home-visiting programs. Overall, the bill aims to expand access to high-quality home-visiting services for vulnerable families in Rhode Island.

Statutes affected:
677: 23-13.7-2