More young children are now being screened for developmental delays during home visits funded through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program than in prior years. Data from the MIECHV Outcomes Dashboard show that 78 percent of enrolled children received an age-appropriate developmental screening in fiscal year (FY) 2024 (up from 69% in FY2017).
During home visits, trained professionals use standardized tools to provide a number of services, including screenings for language, motor, cognitive, social, and emotional delays in children. These screenings are important in helping identify areas of concern early on and getting children and families the support they need.
The rate of screening in MIECHV-served families far exceeds the 36 percent of children who complete developmental screenings nationally.
Figure: The percentage of children in families enrolled in MIECHV who receive development screenings has risen since FY2017
Source: Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration MIECHV Program Dashboard: https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/maternal-child-health/miechv
Child Trends and Home Visiting
Experts at Child Trends are well-versed in home visiting research. For example, we have supported federal, state, and philanthropic partners with research on topics like strategies to increase recruitment and uptake of home visiting, home visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic, workforce development, and implementation quality. If you are interested in learning more about our work on these topics, please contact Christina Padilla or Sarah Crowne.