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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
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HB 2828: nurse home visitor grant program
Sponsor: Representative Lopez, LD 16
Committee on Health & Human Services
Overview
Appropriates $6,000,000 and 5 FTE positions from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2027 to the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) to administer the Nurse Home Visitor Grant Program (Grant Program) to award grants to eligible organizations for the purpose of preventing child maltreatment and neglect, improving maternal and child development and promoting family's economic stability.
History
The primary purpose of DCS is to protect children. To achieve this purpose, DCS shall do and focus equally on the following: 1) investigate reports of abuse and neglect; 2) assess, promote and support the safety of a child in a safe and stable family or other appropriate placement in response to allegations of abuse or neglect; 3) work cooperatively with law enforcement regarding reports that include criminal conduct allegations; 4) without compromising child safety, coordinate services to achieve and maintain permanency on behalf of the child, strengthen the family and provide prevention, intervention and treatment services (A.R.S. § 8-451).
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to establish and administer the Grant Program to:
a. prevent child maltreatment and neglect;
b. improve maternal and child health and child development; and
c. promote a family's economic mobility. (Sec. 1)
2. Requires DCS to award monies from the Grant Program at least annually to one eligible organization. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires the eligible organization to use grant monies to provide voluntary, evidence-based nurse home visitor services for three years to low-income pregnant women who voluntarily enroll in the Grant Program. (Sec. 1)
4. Requires the Grant Program to be available through the second birthday of a child who is born to a woman who is enrolled in the Grant Program. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires the eligible organization to provide:
a. assessments and screenings;
b. care coordination;
c. case management;
d. preventative education and counseling;
e. interventions and referrals to health and human services providers; and
f. educational or job development resources. (Sec. 1)
6. Specifies that eligible organizations include:
a. public and private entities;
b. nonprofit organizations;
c. municipal and county organizations; and
d. tribal nations. (Sec. 1)
7. Requires DCS, when awarding grant monies, to give preference to organizations that:
a. provide services in Arizona;
b. provide services that are delivered by a registered nurse;
c. provide services that meet the specified criteria established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for an evidence-based early childhood home visiting services delivery model that has demonstrated, as of January 1, 2026, favorable results for reduction in maltreatment;
d. can demonstrate either the ability to provide services on the receipt of grant monies or the ability to deliver services within 90 days after receiving grant monies; or
e. can provide services in the Grant Program participant's home, via telehealth services or at another location that is selected by the Grant Program participant. (Sec. 1)
8. Specifies that the evidence-based early childhood home visiting services delivery model must be ranked as a well-supported service in the Title IV-E Prevention Services clearing house to prevent foster care placements and provide enhance support to children and families through an in-home parenting skills-based service. (Sec. 1)
9. Requires an organization that receives grant monies to submit to data to DCS as prescribed by the Children's Health Bureau Title IV-E Prevention Program. (Sec. 1)
10. Specifies that the data submitted to DCS must be to the extent the data is collected as a standard practice of the delivery of the Grant Program services. (Sec. 1)
11. Requires the organization to submit the data for the purpose of evaluating successful delivery of Grant Program services. (Sec. 1)
12. Requires DCS, by August 31, 2027, through 2030, to publish a report that includes all of the following information for the previous Fiscal Year:
a. the number of grants awarded by the Grant Program;
b. the name of the organizations that received grant monies;
c. the number of Grant Program participants who were served;
d. the number of unduplicated participants who enrolled during the reporting period for each organization that was awarded monies by the Grant Program;
e. the total number of hours that were spent providing nurse home visitor services; and
f. data and information that are deemed necessary by DCS and that measure the health and well-being of Grant Program participants and their children. (Sec. 1)
13. Appropriates $6,000,000 and five FTE positions from the state General Fund in Fiscal Year 2027 to DCS for the Grant Program. (Sec. 3)
14. Allows DCS to use up to $382,500 of the appropriated monies in Fiscal Years 2027-2029 to administer the Grant Program. (Sec. 3)
15. Exempts the appropriations from lapsing until December 31, 2030. (Sec. 3)
16. Contains legislative findings. (Sec. 4)
17. Contains a delayed repeal date of December 31, 2030. (Sec. 2)
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21. Initials AG/LK HB 2828
22. 2/10/2026 Page 0 Health & Human Services
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