August 2022: Home Visiting Month

WHEREAS, for decades, Michigan has been building and strengthening a coordinated home visiting system to support families as illustrated in the annual PA 291 report. Home visiting is essential and by partnering with families, provides opportunity for early detection to prevent or minimize developmental delays. Evidence-based home visiting reduces incidences of child abuse and neglect, improves birth outcomes, improves family self-sufficiency, improves family and child health, and improves school readiness; and,

WHEREAS, the Pew Center on the States reports that at-risk children who participate in quality, voluntary home visiting are 42.5% more likely to graduate from high school than their peers who did not participate, mothers participating in home visiting have a 30-month reduction in welfare use, and home visiting yields a return of $5.70 per dollar spent in reduced mental health, criminal justice, and welfare costs with a total benefit of more than $41,000 per family served; and,

WHEREAS, state and local partnerships including but not limited to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Public Health Institute, Intermediate School Districts, Local Health Departments, and other public and private organizations collaborate to assess, grow and improve home visiting services, supporting families from prenatal through school entry; and,

WHEREAS, a partnership between the MDHHS Children’s Services Agency and the Home Visiting Initiative is in place to identify and respond to the need for intensive home visiting supports for families who have engaged with Child Protective Services or have experienced substance use. Expanded home visiting programs have been funded and supported to meet the specific needs of these families; and,

WHEREAS, communities across Michigan have also engaged in improvement efforts through a statewide network of Great Start Collaboratives, Parent Coalitions, Local Home Visiting Leadership Groups, and Regional Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, to achieve the four Office of Great Start Outcomes:

• Children born healthy
• Children healthy, thriving, and developmentally on track from birth to third grade
• Children developmentally ready to succeed in school at the time of school entry
• Children prepared to succeed in fourth grade and beyond by reading proficiently by the end of the third grade; and,

WHEREAS, to reach these outcomes, a continuum of programs and services are in place to support families and young children to reach their potential – however, many of the families who may benefit the most from services are not connected. These families are not aware that high-quality evidence-based home visiting programs are available from prenatal to kindergarten entry; and,

WHEREAS, evidence-based home visiting from prenatal to kindergarten is an essential two-generation approach to successful kids and successful families;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim August 2022 as Home Visiting Month in Michigan.