The report presents the first findings from MIHOPE, the national evaluation of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. It includes an analysis of the states’ needs assessments, as well as baseline characteristics of families, staff, local programs, and models participating in the study. The study of evidence-based programs like those evaluated in MIHOPE increases our understanding of how to effectively and efficiently deliver services to low-income families.

Key Findings include:

• States used initial Home Visiting Program funds primarily to expand evidence-based home visiting models in at-risk communities.
• As intended, states targeted counties with high rates of poverty, child maltreatment, and premature birth, among other indicators of risk.
• The Home Visiting Program focused states on implementing evidence-based home visiting models (in other words, increased use of evidence-based programs).
• As intended, Home Visiting Program-funded programs serve a group of mothers facing many risks for themselves and their children (i.e., high rates of depressive symptoms, activity-limiting health problems, public assistance receipt, low educational attainment).
• Home Visiting Program-funded programs are designed to help parents support the healthy development of infants and toddlers and overcome the problems low-income families face.

A link to the report can be found here on OPRE's website:

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/resource/the-mother-and-infant-home-visiting-program-evaluation-early-findings-on-the-maternal-infant-and-early-childhood-home-visiting