U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $1,208,546 home visiting grant to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). This major federal investment in New Jersey will help NJDOH deliver comprehensive and high-quality health services to children and families living in communities at risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Funding for this grant was provided by the historic American Rescue Plan, which Democrats passed into law to combat the duel threats of the pandemic and its economic fallout.

“As the American people continue to beat back this terrible virus, today we’re announcing that we’ve secured over $1.2 million to provide lifesaving health services for our underserved neighbors here in New Jersey. This is a much-needed investment in New Jersey families,” said Rep. Pascrell, who helped pass the American Rescue Plan into law in March. “We fought hard to include funding for these home visiting grants in our American Rescue Plan because we knew how vital a role they could play in people’s daily lives and in our collective efforts to defeat COVID-19. As I head back to Washington this week I will continue fighting like hell for more federal grants for New Jersey. And as always I continue to urge all our neighbors to get vaccinated as soon as they possibly. Together we will defeat this virus once and for all.”

These Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)  Program funds will be used to provide services and supports to families who need it most, including emergency supplies, such as diapers, food, water, and hand sanitizer. Families who are not able to access home visiting services due to the pandemic will be provided technology to participate in virtual home visits. Funds will also be used to train home visitors on emergency preparedness and response planning for families and on how to safely conduct intimate partner violence screenings virtually.

As New Jersey’s only member on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Pascrell recently voted to reauthorize the MIECHV program and provide an additional $150 million for staffing and servicing related to in-home or virtual visits, training, and other essential services. Since the outset of the pandemic, Rep. Pascrell has worked to secure millions in emergency federal funding to aid New Jersey in its fight against the virus. He helped pass both the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan, both of which continue to provide lifesaving funds for New Jersey.