Scott County health board spotlights home visiting gains, naloxone access and WIC expansion

Scott County Community Health staff told the county board on May 20 that family home visiting, naloxone access and WIC services expanded in 2024 even as funding pressures and infectious-disease threats persisted.

Lisa, Community Health Services Administrator, opened the report, saying the board meets twice annually and outlining program highlights from the department’s recent report to the community. "We are required, mandated, thank you very much, to meet as a community health board twice per year," Lisa said as she summarized program trends and upcoming work.

The county completed 2,233 family home visits in 2024, Lisa reported, with program mix shifting as Scott County added a Parents as Teachers option in 2022. Last year, 36% of visits were Parents as Teachers, 41% were the MESH maternal early sustained home visiting model and 23% were traditional short-term home visits. Staff-run evaluations and parent surveys show high satisfaction: "100 percent of parents reported that they feel that they are better able to cope with life and understand their baby's child development," Lisa said. She added that 85% of participating families reported reading or telling stories to their children daily and that 80% of children in the programs were screened for developmental concerns on time.

Jody Lieris, who presented the…