House Ways and Means subcommittee hears bipartisan support for maternal‑infant home‑visiting program as 2027 reauthorization nears

Congressional leaders and service providers told a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing on Friday that the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MCV) produces measurable benefits for families but faces workforce and funding shortfalls that must be addressed before its October 2027 authorization expires.

"MCV provides voluntary evidence‑based home visiting services to expectant and parenting families that are at risk for adverse outcomes," said Chairman Darren LeHood, noting that, "according to the Health Resources and Services Administration, in fiscal year 2025, nearly 79,000 households were served with more than 1 million home visits." He added that the program’s current authorization runs through 2027 and warned Congress must act to avoid service interruptions.

The hearing drew bipartisan praise for the program’s record and for the 2022 reauthorization named for the late Representative Jackie Walorski, which doubled funding in many areas and created a state match requirement. "Home visiting has a kind of magic in helping children thrive," Ranking Member Danny Davis said, quoting Frederick Douglass: "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

Service providers described how MCV funding has been used in practice. Mindy Smith, vice president of early childhood services at Breitpoint, told the committee that coordinated intake systems funded by MCV help rural families find the right home‑visiting model and that Breitpoint’s programs serve hundreds of families across many counties. "Home visiting was life‑changing for her and for her children," Smith said of one constituent, adding that programs use evidence‑based models such as Healthy Families America and Parents as Teachers.

Shmaya Wilson, a parent ambassador and former participant who testified about Nurse‑Family Partnership, credited a nurse home visitor with providing medical guidance, emotional support and referrals that led to improved outcomes for her son. "The nurse became a trusted partner during the most vulnerable period of my life," Wilson said.

State and tribal officials described innovations and persistent barriers. PJ West, Iowa’s MCV program director, said Iowa uses pay supplements, reflective supervision and reduced reporting burdens to improve retention and quality; she reported more than 850 households served and 12,000 home visits last year in Iowa. A Navajo Nation representative described the Growing in Beauty program, long travel distances on unpaved roads and health disparities in tribal communities; the witness said tribal grantees increased from 23 to 53 since 2022 but estimated only about 11% of eligible tribes would receive tribal grants by 2027.

Members pressed witnesses on workforce issues, including low pay and burnout. Sha Longoria, Parents as Teachers director at Community Healthcore, said programs often struggle to fill parent educator positions and urged additional funding to raise wages and expand reflective supervision. Witnesses linked recruitment and retention to improved training, state match incentives and administrative streamlining to free home visitors for family contact time.

Lawmakers also asked about program outcomes and referrals. Committee members and witnesses cited increases in postpartum depression screenings and timely services for children with developmental delays since the program’s expansion, and emphasized that coordinated intake helps match families to the model best suited to their needs.

Several members highlighted tribal funding inequities: tribal programs must compete for discretionary grants while states receive mandatory funding streams, creating capacity and administrative barriers for small tribal offices. Witnesses urged funding levels that would allow more tribal grantees and more sustainable program operations.

The subcommittee did not take any votes at the hearing. Members were given two weeks to submit written questions for the record. The hearing record will include written testimony and submitted materials from witnesses and members.

The committee adjourned with members reiterating bipartisan interest in reauthorizing MCV well before its October 2027 sunset to avoid losing services, particularly in rural and tribal communities.