The Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) effort within the National Prevention Science Coalition (NPSC) seeks to understand current legislative priorities and respond by matching research-based expertise to the most current and pressing needs among policymakers.  Therefore, on April 18, 2017 the RPC effort hosted a briefing with nationally recognized experts on home visiting programs.

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Families are the foundation of this nation’s future successes; their children will shape the direction of our economy, national debt, safety and security, and prosperity. Aligning with national values and goals are the positive outcomes associated with strong, healthy families. Over the last decade, families in poverty have elected to enroll in home visiting programs to strengthen their children’s likelihood of success. Evidence shows that investing in children and families has the potential to meet both social and fiscal goals, such as protecting children from the risk of trauma and maltreatment and ultimately reducing burden on taxpayers by decreasing demands for government interventions (e.g., social services, criminal justice).

 

This briefing focused on the scientific evidence for home visiting programs generally, and those funded through HRSA’s Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program more specifically. Speakers also examined the cost-effectiveness of home-visiting programs and the future directions of research in this area, enhanced by innovation and rigorous, empirical evaluation.

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