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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-sixth Legislature First Regular Session |
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HB 2053: nurse-home visitation; program; appropriations
Sponsor: Representative Bliss, LD 1
Committee on Health & Human Services
Overview
Establishes an evidence-based Nurse-Home Visitor Grant Program (Grant Program) within the Department of Child Safety (DCS). Appropriates $15,000,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2024 to DCS to award grant monies to eligible organizations to provide voluntary, evidence-based nurse-home visiting services for a three-year period to first-time, low-income expectant mothers.
History
DCS's purpose is to protect children by doing the following: 1) investigate reports of abuse and neglect; 2) assess, promote and support the safety of a child in a safe and stable family or other appropriate placement in response to allegations of abuse or neglect; 3) work cooperatively with law enforcement regarding reports that include criminal conduct allegations; and 4) without compromising child safety, coordinate services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide prevention, intervention and treatment services (A.R.S. § 8-451).
Provisions
1. Establishes the Grant Program within DCS to prevent child maltreatment and neglect, improve maternal and child health and promote families' economic mobility. (Sec. 1)
2.
Requires DCS to award grant monies to at
least one eligible organization to provide voluntary, evidence-based nurse-home
visiting services for a three-year period to first-time, low-income expectant
mothers who voluntarily enroll before their third trimester. (Sec. 1)
3. Specifies that evidence-based nurse-home visiting services include:
a) assessments and screenings;
b) care coordination;
c) case management;
d) preventive education and counseling;
e) nurse-delivered interventions and referrals to health and human services;
f) educational or job development resources; and
g) other appropriate supports. (Sec. 1)
4. Specifies that the evidence-based nurse-home visiting services must be available through the second birthday of children born to participating new mothers. (Sec. 1)
5. States that organizations that are eligible to receive a grant include public and private entities, nonprofit organizations, tribal nations, county and other local government entities. (Sec. 1)
6. Outlines criteria for DCS to consider when determining which organizations should receive monies through the Grant Program. (Sec. 1)
7. Requires grant recipients to submit to DCS data collected as standard practice in the course of service delivery and related to all the following:
a) maternal and newborn health;
b) child injuries, maltreatment and emergency department visits for accidental injuries;
c) child development and school readiness;
d) exposure to crime or domestic violence;
e) family economic self-sufficiency; and
f) coordination with and referrals to other community resources and supports. (Sec. 1)
8. Instructs DCS to publish a report by August 1 for the next four years containing the following information from the previous year:
a) the number of grants awarded, the recipient organizations and the number of expected participants to be served;
b) the number of newly enrolled participants;
c) the number of visits recipient organizations made to enrolled participants; and
d) other data and information related to the health and well-being of participating mothers and their children. (Sec. 1)
9. Appropriates $15,000,000 and an unspecified number of FTEs in FY 2024 from the state GF to DCS to administer the Grant Program. (Sec. 2)
10. Sets an unspecified number of appropriated monies to DCS to use for administrative costs. (Sec. 2)
11. Exempts the appropriation from lapsing and reverts any remaining monies back to the state GF on January 1, 2028. (Sec. 2)
12. Contains legislative findings. (Sec. 3)
13. Terminates the Grant Program on January 1, 2028. (Sec. 1)
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HB 2053
Initials AG/KM Page 0 Health & Human Services
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