About Massachusetts Home Visiting Initiative (MHVI)

MHVI provides evidence-based home visiting services to families with young children in select communities through local service agencies. MHVI is funded by the national Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) program.

Families expecting a child, or families with young children, may be eligible to receive visits in their homes from a trained family support specialist, often called a home visitor. MHVI provides services to parents and primary caregivers such as grandparents, adoptive, and foster parents. MHVI visits are free and voluntary.

MIECHV goals

• Strengthen and improve the programs and activities delivered by the Title V Maternal and child Health Block Grant
• Improve coordination in early childhood systems of care in Massachusetts
• Expand evidence-based home visiting services and improve coordination of services for families in priority communities

All MHVI programs

• Address the parent’s and the child’s health, positive parenting, child development, school readiness and injury prevention.
• Provide referrals to a variety of resources and services.
• Introduce parents to education and employment opportunities.
• Offer parenting and support groups including fathers’ groups.

MHVI home visiting models

• Healthy Families America
• Healthy Families Massachusetts
• Parents as Teachers

Program contacts

• MHVI Program Director
  Christine Silva, [e-mail]
• MHVI Fiscal Director
  Darline Duncan, [e-mail]
• To receive the Massachusetts Home Visiting Initiative Newsletter send an email to [e-mail] with "subscribe" in the subject line.