Utah Home Visiting Program
Office of Early Childhood
Utah's Home Visiting Program
The Home Visiting Program (HVP) resides within the Utah State Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). DHHS funds and supports local Health Departments and not for profit agencies implementing an evidence-based home visiting program.
HVP supports evidence-based models that have a positive impact on the families who participate. Home visits are tailored to the needs of the families served and can take place in the family’s home. Home visitors may accommodate to visit families in an office, park, or wherever the family is most comfortable.
Home visiting professionals provide visits and services to pregnant women and young families who would like:
- Support with their parenting journey
- Learning about new ways to have fun with their child
- Information about child development
- Connections to community resources
- Information on breastfeeding, toilet training, nutrition, home safety, and other educational resources as needed
Models Supported by Utah’s Home Visiting Program
Nurse Family Partnership (NFP)
A program for first time moms, beginning during their pregnancy where a nurse provides one on one support, advice, information needed to have a healthy pregnancy, until the child turns two years old.
Parents as Teachers (PAT)
A proven home visiting program providing one-on-one support for parents during the critical early years of child development ages zero to five.
Family Spirit
An evidence-based, culturally tailored home-visiting program for Native American families to promote optimal health and wellbeing for parents and their children, ages birth to 3 years old.
Benefits of Home Visiting Programs according to Casey Family Programs
Positive parenting practices
- Increase parental confidence to create more developmentally stimulating home environments.
- Decrease the use of physical punishment and yelling.
- Reduce substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect.
- Reduce recurrence of maltreatment.
Improvements in child and maternal health
- Reduction in low-birth weight infants.
- Positive impacts on breastfeeding and child immunization.
- Improvements in parental mental health.
- Decrease in parenting stress.
Improvements in child development and school readiness
- Positive impacts on children’s cognitive development, behavior, and school performance.
Stronger family economic self-sufficiency
- Parents are more likely to work or be enrolled in education or vocational training.
- Parents are more likely to obtain jobs with higher wages during or following enrollment.
Request for grant applications (RFGA) for local evidence-based home visiting programs
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services invites eligible entities to apply for the Home Visiting's Program's Request for Grant Applications.
Eligible applicants: This funding is available for local health departments, non-profits, tribal nations, other community agencies serving the following counties: Cache, Carbon, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Iron, Morgan, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Weber.
Information session: The Home Visiting Program held an about this funding opportunity on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 from 1:30-3:00 pm MT. The slides are available below. For access to the recording, please email the program manager.
Question and answer period: The question and answer period closes on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 11:59 pm MT. Questions and responses will be updated below as needed.
Submission deadline: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 12:00 pm (noon) mountain time. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted or reviewed.
- RFGA Instructions
- Form D: Budget form
- Appendix D: DHHS subrecipient terms and conditions
- Appendix D: Sample scope of work
- Appendix E: Provider code of conduct
- Questions and Answers
- RFGA Info Session Slide Deck
Last Update: April 18, 2024
Resources
Bright By Text
Bright by Text is a program for parents and caregivers of children under five that sends free activities, games, and resources right to your cell phone.
To sign up for Bright by Text, simply text “BRIGHT” to 274448. You will be prompted for your child’s birthdate so that you can get messages targeting his or her exact age. You can also provide your zip code and receive information about local* events and resources.
*Message and Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to 274448 to STOP. Text HELP to 274448 for HELP
Child Development
Developmental Milestones describe a pattern of human development that children can be expected to follow as they grow. Each child will develop in their own way, however, being able to recognize “milestones” assists parents in recognizing their own child’s pattern of development and provide guidance and support to assist children through the developmental process.
The CDC’s website provides information regarding Developmental Milestones opens in a new tab and some Positive Parenting Tips opens in a new tab about what to do for children at each stage of development.
Brain Development
Brain development is rapid in the first years of a child’s life.
Vroom is an app for your phone or computer that provides science-based tips and tools to help families support children’s brain development in small ways every day.
Talk, Read, Sing
Providing language-rich experiences to children from birth to five can have important benefits for your child’s brain development and future school success.
You can help your child's language skills by talking, reading and singing with him or her everyday. It's easy to do and can make a big difference in how your child learns and grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact us
Mailing Address:
Utah's Home Visiting Program
PO BOX 142002
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2002