The Missouri agency that oversees federally funded voluntary home visiting programs in Andrew, Buchanan, and parts of 11 other counties has announced it will receive a record amount of money.
A news release from The Association of State and Tribal Home Visiting Initiatives says the Children's Trust Fund of Missouri will receive $7,434,869 dollars that goes to assisting parents in their homes during pregnancy and early childhood.
The funding increase for Missouri's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood (MIECHV) program is $901,859 dollars.
Click HERE to read and download the map showing the counties with MIECHV programs served by the Children's Trust Fund of Missouri.
News release from The Association of State and Tribal Home Visiting Initiatives (ASTHVI):
Missouri has just received $7,434,869 in federal funding through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program to continue providing voluntary home visiting programs that support parents and improve outcomes for families and young children.
Nationwide, this represents the largest-ever amount of dedicated federal funding for home visiting services to children and families. In Missouri, this year’s federal grant represents a $901,859 increase over last year. The additional federal funds were unlocked by the state's investment of non-federal matching funds at a rate of $1 in state funding for every $3 in federal funding received. Children's Trust Fund of Missouri oversees MIECHV-funded home visiting in Missouri.
“MIECHV reflects a simple idea: supporting parents early gives children a stronger start. Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher, and by giving them the tools and support they need, we help create a strong foundation for children to thrive,” said Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Tom Engels. “These awards will help states and jurisdictions provide pregnant women and families the support they need during the critical early years of a child's life. Home visiting is a key pillar of the Trump Administration’s work to Make America Healthy Again. When children receive the support they need early in life, we’re promoting their development and laying the foundation for better health throughout their lives.”
Home visiting offers parents voluntary, evidence-based assistance from trained family support professionals for guidance during pregnancy and early childhood. Home visitors serve as trusted partners for families, helping bridge the gap between parents’ goals and the resources to which they have access.
Research shows a family’s relationship with a home visitor improves birth outcomes, strengthens early development, increases school readiness, and reduces the risk of child abuse and neglect.
Some parents begin working with a home visitor before birth, while others enroll later in early childhood, but all are supported in their role as their children’s first and best teachers, with more confident parenting and kids who arrive at kindergarten ready to learn.
MIECHV is the only federal funding source dedicated to home visiting, supporting grants to 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and 53 Tribes. MIECHV’s evidence-based models have a research-backed track record of improving health, behavioral, and economic outcomes for children, mothers, and families. Through a collaborative, personal approach, trained home visitors work alongside new parents to identify parenting goals and establish healthy, development-focused strategies. MIECHV also empowers parents to pursue further education, job training, and financial and housing stability, all of which are key to individual, family, and community well-being.
For more information about how home visiting is working for families in Missouri, visit the MIECHV data dashboard or learn more about home visiting in Missouri here: https://asthvi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ASTHVI-Missouri-Fact-Sheet.pdf
About ASTHVI
The Association of State and Tribal Home Visiting Initiatives (ASTHVI) is the professional organization of state, Tribal, and territorial officials who oversee home visiting programs across the country, including those funded by federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grants. Together, ASTHVI members advance the effective implementation and continuous improvement of voluntary home visiting programs that support parents and improve outcomes for families and young children. Learn more at: www.asthvi.org
