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Home‑visiting supporters press DHCF to release grant awards and pursue Medicaid reimbursement
Summary
Nurse Family Partnership participants and home‑visiting staff told the Council the program prevents adverse maternal and infant outcomes and urged DHCF to disburse allocated FY26 funds, align grant timelines with the fiscal year, and pursue Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement pathways.
Participants and home‑visiting nurses gave personal testimony about the Nurse Family Partnership's effects and urged the Council to ensure timely release of budgeted funds.
"This program has been a great help... It is almost as having a 2nd mother," said Karen Guzman, a Ward 7 participant who described home visits for prenatal care and early parenting support. Multiple program staff and participants said the delayed notice of award for FY26 grants has impeded hiring and program expansion.
Nurse home visitors asked DHCF to submit state plan amendments or pursue federal pathways (including a state plan or Medicare options) that would permit Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement to stabilize funding. Witnesses cited concrete outcomes (high rates of prenatal care initiation and improved maternal health behaviors) and said restoring predictable funding timelines would allow programs to hire staff and serve more families.
