MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - PROJECT TITLE: WY DFS FY2024 MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARL...

About This Grant

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - PROJECT TITLE: WY DFS FY2024 MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM APPLICANT NAME: WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES (DFS) ADDRESS: 2300 CAPITOL AVE., 3RD FLOOR, CHEYENNE, WY 82002 PROJECT DIRECTOR: BRITTNEY THYARKS, PROGRAM ANALYST, SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION CONTACT INFORMATION: BRITTNEY.THYARKS@WYO.GOV, 307-777-6760 (P), 307-777-3693 (F) GRANT FUNDS: HRSA-24-049, $1,327,779.00 BASE GRANT; $725,893 MATCHING GRANT DFS CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE PARENTS AS TEACHERS (PAT) PROGRAM THAT SERVES WYOMING FAMILIES IN FIVE (5) CURRENT WYOMING COUNTIES, EXPANDING TO A SIXTH (6TH) BY 10/01/2024 UNDER THE FY23 GRANT, AND EXPANDING TO A SEVENTH (7TH) BY 10/01/2025 UNDER THE FY2024 MIECHV GRANT. CURRENT MIECHV COUNTIES ARE ALBANY, FREMONT, LARAMIE, NATRONA, AND SWEETWATER. NEW COUNTIES WILL BE CARBON AND CAMPBELL. HOME VISITING IS A PREVENTION STRATEGY USED TO SUPPORT PREGNANT MOMS AND NEW PARENTS WITH ENSURING INFANT AND CHILD HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL AND SCHOOL READINESS, AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. IN 2020, THERE WERE 6,135 LIVE BIRTHS IN WYOMING, A BIRTH RATE OF 10.5 PER 1,000 PEOPLE. COMPARED TO OTHER STATES IN THE WEST REGION, WYOMING’S BIRTH RATE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY ABOVE THE REGIONAL AVERAGE SINCE 2009. THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY VOLUNTARY HOME VISITING SERVICES, DFS AND ITS PARTNERS ARE POSITIONED TO TAKE A LARGER ROLE IN PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, SUPPORTING POSITIVE PARENTING, IMPROVING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, AND PROMOTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS. GOAL(S) AND OBJECTIVES: 1) INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF MIECHV PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITIES TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING SERVICES; 2) INCREASE WYOMING PAT FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS’ ABILITY TO RESPOND WHEN FAMILIES ARE IN CRISIS SITUATIONS; 3) FACILITATE AND STRENGTHEN THE WYOMING HOME VISITING ALLIANCE TO INCREASE COLLABORATION BETWEEN WYOMING HOME VISITING PROGRAMS; 4) EXPLORE THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING TO EXPAND THE CURRENT PROGRAM AND SERVE MORE FAMILIES BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026. TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS, DFS WILL CONTINUE TO CONTRACT WITH THE EXISTING PAT LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCY (LIA). WY MIECHV UTILIZES THE HOME VISITOR PERSONNEL COST METHOD AND PROPOSES A CASELOAD OF 235 IN YEAR ONE AND 253 IN YEAR TWO. DFS HAS A DEDICATED PROGRAM ANALYST ASSIGNED TO THIS PROJECT.