Smucker Supported Legislation to Help Mothers and Children Passes House
Washington, DC— Rep. Smucker voted in favor of H.R. 8876, the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022. The legislation was named in honor of the late Rep. Jackie Walorski who proudly represented Indiana's 2nd Congressional District from 2013 until her passing in August.
The bipartisan bill reauthorizes the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program, increases federal investment over five years, and strengthens the focus on evidence-based home visiting models and practices. Smucker was an original cosponsor of the legislation which passed by a vote of 390 to 26.
"I am pleased that the House advanced legislation to honor my friend Rep. Jackie Walorski and her legacy of work to support the most vulnerable. I am saddened that Jackie is not here with us in the House, but I know the good works which she dedicated her life to will live on through the MIECHV program and the legislation we adopted," said Smucker.
"In Pennsylvania, MIECHV provides funding to the Nurse Family Partnership, which has helped thousands of women, families, and babies across my community learn the skills they need to create better futures. The model has proven outcomes to help families become economically self-sufficient and improve school readiness for children, setting them up for a lifetime of success. I recently visited with families in Lancaster who are participating in the program and saw firsthand the positive impact it is having on the lives of mothers and their children. I am thankful the House joined together to honor Jackie's legacy and pass this important legislation to empower and assist families," Smucker added.
Background Information:
- MIECHV is an evidence-based program in which at-risk, first-time mothers and families work directly with nurses, social workers, or early childhood specialists into their homes for one-on-one counseling and coaching.
- In Pennsylvania, MIECHV is run largely through the Nurse Family Partnership, which is a proven model that has helped many new moms gain the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to lead to positive health outcomes.
- H.R. 8876 will improve the MIECHV program by:
- A $100 million increase in base funding starting in fiscal year 2023
- Requires a new, annually updated "outcomes dashboard" to help Congress and the public track MIECHV's success in improving family outcomes in every state or territory.
- Phased in additional federal matching funding starting in fiscal year 2024 which requires a 25 percent state match (for every $1 in state investment, $3 federal contribution)
- Requires a new annual report to Congress to allow Members to better oversee the program and make improvements in the future.
- Above information courtesy of the Committee on Ways & Means, click here for the full-one-pager of background information on H.R. 8876
- Click here to listen to Rep. Smucker speak on H.R. 8876 when it was advanced by the Ways & Means Committee in September.