Home Visiting is in the news!
March, 2017 Letter submitted by ReadyNation to Legislature and Governor in support of expanded funding for home visiting
February 25, 2017 Reader View: Strengthen our communities through home visiting, Dan Pearce, Santa Fe New Mexican
February 25, 2017 Preventing Crime Through Voluntary Home Visits, Los Alamos Daily Post
February 24, 2017 Standing Together for New Mexico Social media content
February 24, 2017 Fight Crimes: Invest in Kids, Child Abuse and Home Visiting KOAT
February 24, 2017 Law enforcement officials tout program for reducing crime KRQE
February 24, 2017 Voluntary home visits help combat child abuse KOB
February 22, 2017 Mission Readiness: Council for a Strong America Letter to New Mexico House of Representatives
February, 2017 New Mexico GRADS students submitted letters to legislators about benefits of home visiting
January 18, 2017 Home visit program helps build a stronger workforce, Albuquerque Journal
January 5, 2017 First Born Program Saves Costs, Builds Families, Las Cruces Sun News
April 24, 2016, Rodriguez, Christina. Big payoff for home visiting, Albuquerque Journal
April 17, 2016, Colaque, Tamara; Zuni, Kateri. Reader View: Hope Comes From Home Visits, Santa Fe New Mexican
April 16, 2016, Rodriguez, Christina; Lechuya Sam; and Rivera, Edwin. Reader View, Santa Fe New Mexican
March 6, 2016 Early Childhood Development & Home Visiting Programs
February 28, 2016, Murray, Douglas J. (ret) Brigadier General, US Air Force. Letter to the Editor, Santa Fe New Mexican
February 21, 2016, Schwanfelder, Nan; Dry, Catherine. Reader View, Santa Fe New Mexican
February 16, 2016, Interfaith Coalition for Public Education, Letters to New Mexico Legislators
February 15, 2016, Maddox, Lanny. Reader View, Santa Fe New Mexican
February 10, 2016, 21 Sheriffs in New Mexico, Letter to New Mexico Legislators and Governor
February 9, 2016, Mason M.D., Melissa; McGrath, Liz. Reader View, Santa Fe New Mexican
February 4, 2016, Thornburg, Garrett. Home Visiting Programs are Effective, Op-Ed, Albuquerque Journal
February 2, 2016, Straus, Kim. Letter to the Editor, Santa Fe New Mexican
Big payoff for home visiting
Albuquerque Journal
April 24, 2016
We all want babies born in New Mexico to thrive. For our children to have a bright future they need to be healthy. Early childhood development should be a top priority in New Mexico.
But without experience, it can be hard for parents to make sure their children are developing in healthy ways.
Children deserve to be raised right and parents deserve to have help. Home visiting can give parents the support they need to be the best parents they can, no matter their circumstances.
Home visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children.
Home visitors help schedule regular doctor visits, assist in planning a healthy diet for parents and babies, and provide expertise that reduces the stress of parents.
Kids are like sponges. Home visiting programs are proven to reduce a baby’s risk for health and developmental problems.
One study showed that mothers who participated in home visits have children that are half as likely to be born with low birth weight.
Research has also demonstrated that by the time children are 5 years old, they have developed 90 percent of their brain size. Home visiting ensures that parents are engaging in the necessary talking, reading and singing that children require in their early years in order for their brain synapses to develop properly.
Loving environments allow children to make connections, grow and learn.
Home visiting also helps parents prepare their children for school. Home visiting programs have demonstrated long-term positive impacts on children’s academic achievements.
Being in a safe environment allows a child to create strong connections to parents. As a result, children will also be safer.
Children whose families participated in home visiting programs have had 40 percent fewer injuries between the ages of two and four, and they were 35 percent less likely to visit the emergency room compared to children who were not enrolled.
The New Mexico First Born Program is a great local example.
For nearly 20 years, the program has ensured that its enrolled families have the ability to raise their children confidently. New Mexico First Born recognizes that “the most effective and efficient unit for building a competent society is a bonded, resilient and competent family.”
Every parent, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to use these amazing programs. We need to invest in creating robust home visiting programs and ensuring families know these programs are available.
We should fund home visiting programs because we can all benefit from them, whether or not we are parents.
A single child exposed to drugs at an early age or born addicted to drugs can cost the state up to $1.4 million.
The lifetime cost of one victim of child abuse and neglect is over $200,000.
Among participants in the First Born program, 98 percent of families had no substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect.
Because we live in a state that is struggling to save money, investing upstream in preventive services makes much more financial sense than paying for costly services later.
This issue should garner bipartisan support. An investment in health at a young age is a lifelong investment.
Also signed by Sam Lechuga and Edwin Rivera
Albuquerque Journal
April 24, 2016
We all want babies born in New Mexico to thrive. For our children to have a bright future they need to be healthy. Early childhood development should be a top priority in New Mexico.
But without experience, it can be hard for parents to make sure their children are developing in healthy ways.
Children deserve to be raised right and parents deserve to have help. Home visiting can give parents the support they need to be the best parents they can, no matter their circumstances.
Home visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children.
Home visitors help schedule regular doctor visits, assist in planning a healthy diet for parents and babies, and provide expertise that reduces the stress of parents.
Kids are like sponges. Home visiting programs are proven to reduce a baby’s risk for health and developmental problems.
One study showed that mothers who participated in home visits have children that are half as likely to be born with low birth weight.
Research has also demonstrated that by the time children are 5 years old, they have developed 90 percent of their brain size. Home visiting ensures that parents are engaging in the necessary talking, reading and singing that children require in their early years in order for their brain synapses to develop properly.
Loving environments allow children to make connections, grow and learn.
Home visiting also helps parents prepare their children for school. Home visiting programs have demonstrated long-term positive impacts on children’s academic achievements.
Being in a safe environment allows a child to create strong connections to parents. As a result, children will also be safer.
Children whose families participated in home visiting programs have had 40 percent fewer injuries between the ages of two and four, and they were 35 percent less likely to visit the emergency room compared to children who were not enrolled.
The New Mexico First Born Program is a great local example.
For nearly 20 years, the program has ensured that its enrolled families have the ability to raise their children confidently. New Mexico First Born recognizes that “the most effective and efficient unit for building a competent society is a bonded, resilient and competent family.”
Every parent, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to use these amazing programs. We need to invest in creating robust home visiting programs and ensuring families know these programs are available.
We should fund home visiting programs because we can all benefit from them, whether or not we are parents.
A single child exposed to drugs at an early age or born addicted to drugs can cost the state up to $1.4 million.
The lifetime cost of one victim of child abuse and neglect is over $200,000.
Among participants in the First Born program, 98 percent of families had no substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect.
Because we live in a state that is struggling to save money, investing upstream in preventive services makes much more financial sense than paying for costly services later.
This issue should garner bipartisan support. An investment in health at a young age is a lifelong investment.
Also signed by Sam Lechuga and Edwin Rivera
Reader View: Hope comes from home visits
Santa Fe New Mexican
April 17, 2016
Recently, New Mexico again ranked near the bottom on almost every indicator of child well-being. State leaders should make improving child welfare a top priority. Investing in early childhood is a good start, and home-visiting programs should take precedence.
Home-visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children. With home visiting, parents can ask questions that don’t come up in the hospital. Parents can find out if that little rash is normal or if their child needs to see a physician. Most of all, parents have another person to listen and tell them they’re doing OK. And if they’re not, home visits can help them learn the skills vital to ensuring children thrive.
Both of us can personally vouch for the importance of home visiting. For Kateri, becoming a parent was at once joyous and terrifying. When I had my son, I felt I had done something both miraculous and incredibly stupid. It’s daunting to know you directly influence an entire life. In my family, I had all the support I could have hoped for and still I wasn’t cut out for the first night at home with my son. As he cried endlessly and my husband and I each tried and failed to calm him, I wondered, “How can anyone do this by themselves?” And no one should have to.
Tamara can also speak from personal experience about the need for home-visiting support. As an adopted child, I believe that home visiting would have provided a healthier transition into my new family. My biological mother lived with alcoholism. Her unhealthy choices affected my early development. Although my adoptive mother made many efforts to provide for my growth, home-visiting services would have helped her learn how early exposure to substances affected me and how to help. I often wonder if my biological mother would still be alive today if she had access to home-visiting services. I hope, for the sake of other young children whose parents are struggling, that we get serious about investing in home visiting in our state.
Home-visiting programs are one of the solutions for a better future for New Mexicans. Since its inception in 1997, one such program, First Born, has demonstrated consistent success. Very few families receiving services had substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect. Nearly all pregnancies in the program were drug free. One hundred percent of children in the program gained foundational skills that promote school success and a lifelong joy of learning.
We’ve all heard politicians extolling the importance of our children’s health and well-being, but services like home visits and budgets for early childhood development are continually underfunded. Home-visiting services are there for babies through the first few years of development. These are the critical years, where babies make connections to their world that will guide them through their education and relationships. A 30-minute consultation could make all the difference.
Every family needs help. A good support system can ease the pressure and allow new parents to focus on the small victories: switching to solid food, walking or even sleeping through the night for the first time. These small moments become memory, experience and a healthy childhood.
Tamara Colaque and Kateri Zuni are members of Generation Justice.
Santa Fe New Mexican
April 17, 2016
Recently, New Mexico again ranked near the bottom on almost every indicator of child well-being. State leaders should make improving child welfare a top priority. Investing in early childhood is a good start, and home-visiting programs should take precedence.
Home-visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children. With home visiting, parents can ask questions that don’t come up in the hospital. Parents can find out if that little rash is normal or if their child needs to see a physician. Most of all, parents have another person to listen and tell them they’re doing OK. And if they’re not, home visits can help them learn the skills vital to ensuring children thrive.
Both of us can personally vouch for the importance of home visiting. For Kateri, becoming a parent was at once joyous and terrifying. When I had my son, I felt I had done something both miraculous and incredibly stupid. It’s daunting to know you directly influence an entire life. In my family, I had all the support I could have hoped for and still I wasn’t cut out for the first night at home with my son. As he cried endlessly and my husband and I each tried and failed to calm him, I wondered, “How can anyone do this by themselves?” And no one should have to.
Tamara can also speak from personal experience about the need for home-visiting support. As an adopted child, I believe that home visiting would have provided a healthier transition into my new family. My biological mother lived with alcoholism. Her unhealthy choices affected my early development. Although my adoptive mother made many efforts to provide for my growth, home-visiting services would have helped her learn how early exposure to substances affected me and how to help. I often wonder if my biological mother would still be alive today if she had access to home-visiting services. I hope, for the sake of other young children whose parents are struggling, that we get serious about investing in home visiting in our state.
Home-visiting programs are one of the solutions for a better future for New Mexicans. Since its inception in 1997, one such program, First Born, has demonstrated consistent success. Very few families receiving services had substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect. Nearly all pregnancies in the program were drug free. One hundred percent of children in the program gained foundational skills that promote school success and a lifelong joy of learning.
We’ve all heard politicians extolling the importance of our children’s health and well-being, but services like home visits and budgets for early childhood development are continually underfunded. Home-visiting services are there for babies through the first few years of development. These are the critical years, where babies make connections to their world that will guide them through their education and relationships. A 30-minute consultation could make all the difference.
Every family needs help. A good support system can ease the pressure and allow new parents to focus on the small victories: switching to solid food, walking or even sleeping through the night for the first time. These small moments become memory, experience and a healthy childhood.
Tamara Colaque and Kateri Zuni are members of Generation Justice.
Reader View: Home visiting uplifts families, protects childhood
Santa Fe New Mexican
April 16, 2017
We all want babies born in New Mexico to thrive. For our children to have a bright future, they need to be healthy. Early childhood development should be a top priority in New Mexico. But without experience, it can be hard for parents to make sure their children are developing in healthy ways. Children deserve to be raised right, and parents deserve to have help. Home visiting can give parents the support they need to be the best parents they can, no matter their circumstances.
Home-visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children. Home visitors help schedule regular doctor visits, assist in planning a healthy diet for parents and babies, and provide expertise that reduces the stress of parents.
Kids are like sponges. Home-visiting programs are proven to reduce a baby’s risk for health and developmental problems. One study showed that mothers who participated in home visits have children that are half as likely to be born with low birth weight. Research has also demonstrated that by the time children are 5 years old, they have developed 90 percent of their brain size. Home visiting ensures that parents are engaging in the necessary talking, reading and singing that children require in their early years in order for their brain synapses to develop properly.
Loving environments allow children to make connections, grow and learn. Home visiting also helps parents prepare their children for school. Home-visiting programs have demonstrated long-term positive impacts on children’s academic achievements. Being in a safe environment allows a child to create strong connections to parents.
As a result, children will also be safer. Children whose families participated in home-visiting programs have had 40 percent fewer injuries between the ages of 2 and 4, and they were 35 percent less likely to visit the emergency room compared to children who were not enrolled. The New Mexico First Born Program is a great local example. For nearly 20 years, the program has ensured that its enrolled families have the ability to raise their children confidently. New Mexico First Born recognizes that “the most effective and efficient unit for building a competent society is a bonded, resilient and competent family.”
Every parent, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to use these amazing programs. We need to invest in creating robust home-visiting programs and ensuring families know these programs are available. We should fund home-visiting programs because we can all benefit from them, whether or not we are parents. A single child exposed to drugs at an early age or born addicted to drugs can cost the state up to $1.4 million. The lifetime cost of one victim of child abuse and neglect is more than $200,000. Among participants in the First Born program, 98 percent of families had no substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect.
Because we live in a state that is struggling to save money, investing upstream in preventive services makes much more financial sense than paying for costly services later. This issue should garner bipartisan support. An investment in health at a young age is a lifelong investment.
Christina Rodriguez, Sam Lechuga and Edwin Rivera are members of the media collective Generation Justice.
Santa Fe New Mexican
April 16, 2017
We all want babies born in New Mexico to thrive. For our children to have a bright future, they need to be healthy. Early childhood development should be a top priority in New Mexico. But without experience, it can be hard for parents to make sure their children are developing in healthy ways. Children deserve to be raised right, and parents deserve to have help. Home visiting can give parents the support they need to be the best parents they can, no matter their circumstances.
Home-visiting programs send trained experts to the homes of new or planning parents to provide support and guidance on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and on how to take care of children. Home visitors help schedule regular doctor visits, assist in planning a healthy diet for parents and babies, and provide expertise that reduces the stress of parents.
Kids are like sponges. Home-visiting programs are proven to reduce a baby’s risk for health and developmental problems. One study showed that mothers who participated in home visits have children that are half as likely to be born with low birth weight. Research has also demonstrated that by the time children are 5 years old, they have developed 90 percent of their brain size. Home visiting ensures that parents are engaging in the necessary talking, reading and singing that children require in their early years in order for their brain synapses to develop properly.
Loving environments allow children to make connections, grow and learn. Home visiting also helps parents prepare their children for school. Home-visiting programs have demonstrated long-term positive impacts on children’s academic achievements. Being in a safe environment allows a child to create strong connections to parents.
As a result, children will also be safer. Children whose families participated in home-visiting programs have had 40 percent fewer injuries between the ages of 2 and 4, and they were 35 percent less likely to visit the emergency room compared to children who were not enrolled. The New Mexico First Born Program is a great local example. For nearly 20 years, the program has ensured that its enrolled families have the ability to raise their children confidently. New Mexico First Born recognizes that “the most effective and efficient unit for building a competent society is a bonded, resilient and competent family.”
Every parent, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to use these amazing programs. We need to invest in creating robust home-visiting programs and ensuring families know these programs are available. We should fund home-visiting programs because we can all benefit from them, whether or not we are parents. A single child exposed to drugs at an early age or born addicted to drugs can cost the state up to $1.4 million. The lifetime cost of one victim of child abuse and neglect is more than $200,000. Among participants in the First Born program, 98 percent of families had no substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect.
Because we live in a state that is struggling to save money, investing upstream in preventive services makes much more financial sense than paying for costly services later. This issue should garner bipartisan support. An investment in health at a young age is a lifelong investment.
Christina Rodriguez, Sam Lechuga and Edwin Rivera are members of the media collective Generation Justice.
Right track
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 28, 2016
As a retired general, I was very interested to read Lanny Maddox’s opinion piece (“Coach parents to boost public safety,” Feb. 16) about the crime prevention benefits of home-visiting programs, and would like to add that such “early interventions” are also important for our future national security.
Lack of education and involvement in crime are two of the leading reasons why 73 percent of young adults in New Mexico cannot qualify for military service. Research shows that the earliest years of children’s lives are critical for success in school and staying away from crime, which will open many career paths, including in the military for those who choose to serve.
Our state legislators should support policies and programs that get all of our children on the right track to make their future, and our nation’s future, as bright as it deserves to be.
Douglas J. Murray
Brigadier general, U.S. Air Force (ret.)
Roswell
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 28, 2016
As a retired general, I was very interested to read Lanny Maddox’s opinion piece (“Coach parents to boost public safety,” Feb. 16) about the crime prevention benefits of home-visiting programs, and would like to add that such “early interventions” are also important for our future national security.
Lack of education and involvement in crime are two of the leading reasons why 73 percent of young adults in New Mexico cannot qualify for military service. Research shows that the earliest years of children’s lives are critical for success in school and staying away from crime, which will open many career paths, including in the military for those who choose to serve.
Our state legislators should support policies and programs that get all of our children on the right track to make their future, and our nation’s future, as bright as it deserves to be.
Douglas J. Murray
Brigadier general, U.S. Air Force (ret.)
Roswell
Reader View
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 21, 2016
We fully support the Mayor’s plans to strengthen opportunities for Santa Fe’s babies and their families. When all families thrive, the quality of life improves for everyone, including our aging population. If we have more high quality and affordable early childhood care and education, more parents can be in the workforce or improve their education, adding to the local economy. If babies are healthy, their parents miss fewer work days. A city that demonstrates attention to its youngest members will attract young, entrepreneurial families to move here. And the measure of a thriving community ought to be reflected in the well-being of its babies and their families. Yes, let’s invest in them now for an even better, future Santa Fe!
Nan Schwanfelder
Brindle Foundation
Catherine Dry
Santa Fe Baby Fund, Santa Fe Community Foundation
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 21, 2016
We fully support the Mayor’s plans to strengthen opportunities for Santa Fe’s babies and their families. When all families thrive, the quality of life improves for everyone, including our aging population. If we have more high quality and affordable early childhood care and education, more parents can be in the workforce or improve their education, adding to the local economy. If babies are healthy, their parents miss fewer work days. A city that demonstrates attention to its youngest members will attract young, entrepreneurial families to move here. And the measure of a thriving community ought to be reflected in the well-being of its babies and their families. Yes, let’s invest in them now for an even better, future Santa Fe!
Nan Schwanfelder
Brindle Foundation
Catherine Dry
Santa Fe Baby Fund, Santa Fe Community Foundation
Reader View: Boost public safety by supporting young parents and families
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 15, 2016
Being a first-time parent is hard. Some people are fortunate to have a supportive network — neighbors, churches and the tribal community — where they can turn for help. This is not the case for too many young mothers and fathers across the state who are left without guidance or support as they embark on the parenthood journey alone. And, as I saw far too many times during my years in law enforcement, when young parents are left without guidance and coaching, a cycle of abuse and neglect sometimes follows.
In addition to harming the lives of countless children, this abuse and neglect can have a detrimental impact on public safety. In fact, research shows that approximately half of youth arrested for delinquency had been abused or neglected earlier in their lives. Another study found that victims of abuse and neglect were twice as likely to have committed a crime by age 19 and were 29 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime as juveniles or adults than those who were not.
Lanny Maddox, Commissioner of Public Safety and former president of NM Police Chiefs Association
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 15, 2016
Being a first-time parent is hard. Some people are fortunate to have a supportive network — neighbors, churches and the tribal community — where they can turn for help. This is not the case for too many young mothers and fathers across the state who are left without guidance or support as they embark on the parenthood journey alone. And, as I saw far too many times during my years in law enforcement, when young parents are left without guidance and coaching, a cycle of abuse and neglect sometimes follows.
In addition to harming the lives of countless children, this abuse and neglect can have a detrimental impact on public safety. In fact, research shows that approximately half of youth arrested for delinquency had been abused or neglected earlier in their lives. Another study found that victims of abuse and neglect were twice as likely to have committed a crime by age 19 and were 29 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime as juveniles or adults than those who were not.
Lanny Maddox, Commissioner of Public Safety and former president of NM Police Chiefs Association
Funding home visits
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 9, 2016
New Mexicans watching the budget debates at the Roundhouse this legislative session have reason to be concerned. The state’s revenues are down and state agencies are being asked to tighten their belts. Now more than ever, our state’s Legislature needs to invest our dollars in programs that are proven to work. The research is clear: Home-visiting services improve outcomes for children. In New Mexico, state law requires that the state only spend money on home-visiting programs that report their outcomes to the state. As pediatricians and public interest lawyers, we see the short- and long-term consequences when we do not address the needs of young children. This session our organizations are joining with partners from across New Mexico to ask our state Legislature to protect and expand quality home-visiting programs with clear outcomes. We hope our legislators agree and prioritize accountable home visiting.
Melissa Mason, M.D.
president, New Mexico Pediatric Society
New Mexico Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics
Liz McGrath
executive director
Pegasus Legal Services for Children
Albuquerque
Santa Fe New Mexican
February 9, 2016
New Mexicans watching the budget debates at the Roundhouse this legislative session have reason to be concerned. The state’s revenues are down and state agencies are being asked to tighten their belts. Now more than ever, our state’s Legislature needs to invest our dollars in programs that are proven to work. The research is clear: Home-visiting services improve outcomes for children. In New Mexico, state law requires that the state only spend money on home-visiting programs that report their outcomes to the state. As pediatricians and public interest lawyers, we see the short- and long-term consequences when we do not address the needs of young children. This session our organizations are joining with partners from across New Mexico to ask our state Legislature to protect and expand quality home-visiting programs with clear outcomes. We hope our legislators agree and prioritize accountable home visiting.
Melissa Mason, M.D.
president, New Mexico Pediatric Society
New Mexico Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics
Liz McGrath
executive director
Pegasus Legal Services for Children
Albuquerque
Home Visiting Programs Are Effective
Albuquerque Journal
February 4, 2016
As the New Mexico Legislature convenes at the Roundhouse for its 30-day session, the debates will be heated and contentious. However, amidst the arguments, agreement has emerged.
Democrats and Republicans, legislators and Gov. Susana Martinez all agree on one thing: children, families and taxpayers need and deserve high-quality home visiting services. Foundations, philanthropists and businesses from across New Mexico stand in strong support of investing early in the lives of New Mexico’s children.
New Mexico cannot wait to ensure a better future for its children and ultimately a more robust economy for all its citizens. Research on child and brain development is clear: the earlier we invest, the greater our returns will be. That is the reason our foundations invest private dollars in early childhood and specifically in quality home visiting programs.
Foundations in New Mexico have partnered with the state of New Mexico for generations. Often, philanthropy can support innovation and research that government cannot.
However, because limited philanthropic resources are not enough to fully meet the needs of the communities we serve, it is essential for New Mexico’s foundations to partner with the state.
Like legislators concerned about tax dollars, foundations prioritize investments in successful programs. Based upon the evidence from New Mexico and nationally, we know accountable home visiting programs are effective. Home visiting programs are voluntary and provide families with the tools they need to raise healthy, emotionally secure children.
In 2013, Martinez and a bipartisan group of legislators passed the Home Visiting Accountability Act. Under this law, home visiting programs receiving state funding meet specific outcomes and provide proof of effectiveness.
According to recent research conducted in New Mexico, home visiting programs have positive benefits including greater access to treatment for postpartum depression for new moms, increased vaccination rates for kids and fewer emergency room visits.
A small investment on the front end will reduce costly services for children and families in the long run.
In a continued show of bipartisan support for home visiting, both the governor and the Legislature have proposed increasing support for the programs.
Martinez has proposed increased funding for public awareness of the state’s early childhood programs, including home visiting. The Legislative Finance Committee is calling for an increase in the number of available slots in the state’s home visiting programs.
Child poverty is a real problem in New Mexico. While New Mexicans differ on how to fund education and children’s programs, we universally agree on their importance.
Our foundations applaud both the governor and the Legislature for recognizing the proven value of home visiting to our state’s families. We support New Mexico leaders’ complementary proposals to increase awareness of and access to accountable home visiting programs.
Also signed by Nan Schwanfelder, president, Brindle Foundation; Bill Wadt, board member, Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation; and Jerry Jones, interim president and CEO, Santa Fe Community Foundation
Albuquerque Journal
February 4, 2016
As the New Mexico Legislature convenes at the Roundhouse for its 30-day session, the debates will be heated and contentious. However, amidst the arguments, agreement has emerged.
Democrats and Republicans, legislators and Gov. Susana Martinez all agree on one thing: children, families and taxpayers need and deserve high-quality home visiting services. Foundations, philanthropists and businesses from across New Mexico stand in strong support of investing early in the lives of New Mexico’s children.
New Mexico cannot wait to ensure a better future for its children and ultimately a more robust economy for all its citizens. Research on child and brain development is clear: the earlier we invest, the greater our returns will be. That is the reason our foundations invest private dollars in early childhood and specifically in quality home visiting programs.
Foundations in New Mexico have partnered with the state of New Mexico for generations. Often, philanthropy can support innovation and research that government cannot.
However, because limited philanthropic resources are not enough to fully meet the needs of the communities we serve, it is essential for New Mexico’s foundations to partner with the state.
Like legislators concerned about tax dollars, foundations prioritize investments in successful programs. Based upon the evidence from New Mexico and nationally, we know accountable home visiting programs are effective. Home visiting programs are voluntary and provide families with the tools they need to raise healthy, emotionally secure children.
In 2013, Martinez and a bipartisan group of legislators passed the Home Visiting Accountability Act. Under this law, home visiting programs receiving state funding meet specific outcomes and provide proof of effectiveness.
According to recent research conducted in New Mexico, home visiting programs have positive benefits including greater access to treatment for postpartum depression for new moms, increased vaccination rates for kids and fewer emergency room visits.
A small investment on the front end will reduce costly services for children and families in the long run.
In a continued show of bipartisan support for home visiting, both the governor and the Legislature have proposed increasing support for the programs.
Martinez has proposed increased funding for public awareness of the state’s early childhood programs, including home visiting. The Legislative Finance Committee is calling for an increase in the number of available slots in the state’s home visiting programs.
Child poverty is a real problem in New Mexico. While New Mexicans differ on how to fund education and children’s programs, we universally agree on their importance.
Our foundations applaud both the governor and the Legislature for recognizing the proven value of home visiting to our state’s families. We support New Mexico leaders’ complementary proposals to increase awareness of and access to accountable home visiting programs.
Also signed by Nan Schwanfelder, president, Brindle Foundation; Bill Wadt, board member, Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation; and Jerry Jones, interim president and CEO, Santa Fe Community Foundation
