NH Delegation Welcomes $571K to NH to Expand Home Visiting Assistance for Families during Pandemic

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed $571,277 to New Hampshire to support home visiting services in the North Country. The funding will bolster the work of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, which supports children and families at risk of poor health outcomes. By expanding the program’s capacity for televisits, this grant will help ensure the provision of these critical services is available in hard-to-reach and rural areas of New Hampshire.

“Home visits are key to helping vulnerable families stay afloat, helping parents build skills and providing essential health supplies. As the pandemic put pressure on the wallets of families across the Granite State, these services became even more important to keep children and parents healthy,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m pleased to welcome this funding to the North Country to expand access to these services through telehealth – putting critical resources within reach for more communities. I’ll continue working to deliver child care and health support to families on the frontlines of the pandemic.”

“The growth of telehealth during the pandemic has been good news for so many Granite Staters who are able to communicate with their doctors and receive quality care right from their own home, but not every community has equal access,” said Senator Hassan. “I’m glad to join the delegation in announcing this funding from the American Rescue Plan which will make sure we expand health care access in the North Country, including to get Granite State moms and children the health care that they need. Especially given the rise in COVID-19 cases this winter, this funding is coming at a critical time and will make a real difference in making sure all Granite Staters have access to quality care.”

“It is essential that all Granite Staters have access to the health care they need, regardless of where they live in our state,” said Rep. Kuster. “I’m thrilled to see these federal funds heading to New Hampshire to expand the reach of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program through telehealth to reach patients where they are, especially as our communities continue to grapple with COVID-19.”

“For Granite Staters who have difficulty accessing high-quality medical care, these funds for home visiting services and expanded access to primary care will play a critical role in helping them access the services they need,” said Rep. Pappas. “Particularly as we see a surge in COVID cases across our state, ensuring families have access to home-based services and preventative care will help reduce the burden on our health care system. I’m pleased that these funds are being delivered to New Hampshire and will continue fighting to ensure all Granite Staters can access affordable, quality care.”

The funding was allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as part of $82 million in grants nationwide and was distributed through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The announcement follows an initial investment of $40 million in ARP funds in May. The ARPA that Shaheen and Hassan supported allocated $150 million total for the MIECHV program.

More information is available here.

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