Texas Home Visiting
Program Description
Texas Home Visiting is a free, voluntary program through which early childhood and health professionals regularly visit the homes of pregnant women and families with children 5 years old and younger.
Through the use of evidence-based home visiting models, the program supports positive outcomes for children, increases family self-sufficiency, and creates communities where children and families can thrive.
Service Focus
Expecting parents, caregivers, or primary caregivers of a child 5 years old or younger. While roles vary, they center around people who have an ongoing relationship with and provide physical care for the child.
Families are eligible if the parent or primary caregiver is expecting or parenting a young child, from birth until the child's sixth birthday or start of kindergarten, whichever occurs first.
Families must reside in the county of a specified service delivery area or unified service area.
Map of Providers and Communities
*Denotes new grantees for FY 2023.
Measures of Success
- Children remain safe during services and within one to three years after services.
- Increase in interaction between the child and parent, and an ability to cope with parental stres.
- Support positive health outcomes by addressing premature birth outcomes, attending well child visits, and offering breastfeeding support
Program Data
- Program start date: 2012
- Target number of youth/families served annually, FY 2024: 7,702
- Average number of youth/families served per month, FY 2023: 3,144
- Counties served: 30
- Annual budget for community contracts: $37,098,104
- Total number of community grantees: 35 grantees, 15 subgrantees
- Average grantee budget: $1,059,946
Success Story
Texas Home Visiting University of Texas Permian Basin, Ector and Midland Counties
Cara, a mother currently enrolled with the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program, was experiencing severe depression. Because of this, her home visitor provided Cara with extra activities that promoted self-care and would check in on her multiple times per week, in addition to the normal curricula.
Cara's text to her home visitor sums up the support provided by Texas Home Visiting: "I don't think I've told you enough how much I appreciate you. I'm so happy that I signed up for this program and that it put you in our path. My kids have benefitted so much from this program, and me too! I've gotten closer with them, and it's helped me evolve into a better parent and teacher."