US Budgets $82Mln To Expand Home Healthcare To Families Hit By COVID-19 - Health Dept.

Home visitation for healthcare and related services for low-income families affected by the pandemic will be funded with $82 million in grants from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2021) Home visitation for healthcare and related services for low-income families affected by the pandemic will be funded with $82 million in grants from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Wednesday.

"This funding builds upon an initial investment of $40 million in ARP funds in May. The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program supports the delivery of high quality, voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services to children and families living in communities at risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes," HHS said in a press release.

The $82 million for 56 states, jurisdictions and non-profit groups will help families in communities where it is particularly tough for mothers and children to access quality healthcare, the release said.

Home visitors help support families by providing pregnancy education, parenting skill-building, and even offer supplies such as diapers, wipes and hand sanitizers. The new funds will also provide technology to families who need it to participate in virtual home visits, and support home visitor hazard pay and other staff costs, the release added.

Over the past nine years, home visitors have serviced nearly 7 million homes. In fiscal year 2020, almost three-fourths of families participating in the program had household incomes at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, and 78% of adults and children relied on Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to the release.