Senate File 481 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO SF 210) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act establishing a program for providing voluntary home visits 2 for all households in the state with a newborn child. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2081SV 82 5 jp/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 28.11 HOUSEHOLDS WITH A NEWBORN 1 2 CHILD == HOME VISITS. 1 3 1. a. The Iowa empowerment board shall develop a program 1 4 with the goal of offering all households in the state with a 1 5 newborn child a voluntary home visit. The components of the 1 6 home visit shall include but are not limited to assessing the 1 7 child's home environment, identifying the family and child 1 8 needs and the services that could appropriately meet those 1 9 needs, and assisting the family in accessing appropriate 1 10 services. 1 11 b. The Iowa board shall coordinate with existing programs 1 12 that provide home=based instruction or support to households 1 13 with a newborn child as necessary to make the best use of 1 14 resources while expanding the availability of home visits. 1 15 2. All of the following requirements shall apply to 1 16 services provided under the program: 1 17 a. Home visits shall be made by qualified and trained 1 18 staff. 1 19 b. Staff shall demonstrate a capacity to competently 1 20 complete home visits, including the ability to identify family 1 21 and child needs and facilitate referrals to and interventions 1 22 by other resources available in the community, based upon 1 23 needs identified during a home visit. 1 24 c. The program shall have a plan for implementing a 1 25 cooperative arrangement with local hospitals and birthing 1 26 centers for the hospitals and centers to provide referral 1 27 information for contacting families with a newborn child. 1 28 d. The program shall incorporate performance measures and 1 29 provide for reporting of outcome measures on a regular basis, 1 30 both as identified by the Iowa board. 1 31 3. The Iowa board shall implement the provisions of this 1 32 section subject to the funding provided for purposes of this 1 33 section. 1 34 EXPLANATION 1 35 This bill establishes a program for providing voluntary 2 1 home visits for all households in the state with a newborn 2 2 child. 2 3 New Code section 28.11 directs the Iowa empowerment board 2 4 to develop the program with the goal of making available a 2 5 home visit for each household in the state with a family that 2 6 has a newborn child. The board is required to coordinate this 2 7 program with existing programs providing home visits to 2 8 families with a newborn child. 2 9 The bill includes requirements for the program staff to be 2 10 qualified and trained and to have the capacity to competently 2 11 determine needs and make referrals, for the programs to have a 2 12 plan for a cooperative arrangement, and for the program to 2 13 incorporate performance measures and for reporting of outcome 2 14 measures. The Iowa empowerment board's implementation of the 2 15 program is subject to the funding provided for purposes of the 2 16 program. 2 17 LSB 2081SV 82 2 18 jp:nh/je/5