Erin Moore, Intern
Most people, which included myself just a few months ago, don’t know what home visiting is or that it even exists. The name suggests that it has something to do with the more well-known visits by Child Protection Services, making it seem like a scary and daunting thing. The good news is that home visiting is actually an awesome service for mothers, children and families!
The goal of home visiting programs is to give moms and families the knowledge and tools for a safe and healthy pregnancy and a happy family. Their unique model of coming to the home makes their nurturing and education much more personal. Each family’s specific needs are met with care, and one-on-one attention helps them make a routine of healthy behaviors.
Despite all of these benefits, moms, babies and families are at risk of losing access to home visiting services. The League recently released a fact sheet detailing the relationship between different funding sources for home visiting. The Maternal and Infant Health Program (MIHP), which is completely funded by Medicaid, has the most Michigan locations of any home visiting program; however, only Medicaid-eligible pregnant moms and infants can access their resources. Other home visiting programs, such as those funded by grants under Title V of the Social Security Act, serve populations with low incomes but do not have any Medicaid eligibility requirements.
As of January 1, 2020, individuals enrolled in the Healthy Michigan Plan, the state’s expansion of Medicaid, must report 80 hours of work a month in order to continue receiving health care coverage. Unfortunately, as we learned from Arkansas’ adoption of Medicaid work requirements, these changes lead to significant numbers of people losing their access to healthcare. Most concerning is the fact that many lost coverage because of the red tape involved in reporting work hours or documenting that they were actually exempt from the requirements due to chronic illness or responsibilities as students or caregivers.
With the introduction of work requirements for Michigan’s Medicaid expansion population we expect that some will lose their coverage. This will leave a significant impact on home visiting in the state as well because people must be eligible for Medicaid in order to receive MIHP home visiting services. If someone loses their Medicaid coverage, they also lose access to the largest provider of home visiting in the state.
The demand for home visiting services won’t disappear, however. Instead, mothers and families will turn to Title V organizations, which have significantly fewer resources to offer. The Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant (MIECHV) within Title V provides about one-third of the funding that Medicaid supplies through MIHP. While MIHP is located in almost every county in Michigan, only 15 out of 83 counties have Title V home visiting organizations. The MIECHV organizations will be strained as more people come to their doors for help, and people who can’t travel will be left without any resources to assist them.
Furthermore, home visiting programs are key sources of referrals to clinics that provide family planning and reproductive health services to families with low incomes under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Thus, the work requirements could have an even broader impact on the health and economic security of mothers and children.
The benefits of home visiting can’t be stressed enough. Home visitors cover any and every topic about pregnancy and raising a family, from prenatal vitals and breastfeeding to safe sleep and age-appropriate play. This wide range of information helps ensure that moms, children and entire families know what to expect and how to care for themselves, improving health outcomes for all.
As these short videos featuring Michigan mothers Danielle and Whitney show, home visiting is beneficial for families in a wide variety of situations. Even with a strong family network, some parents need more support in caring for themselves and their kids so everyone can lead a healthy, happy life. Home visiting programs give parents the skills they need to be confident in their children’s growth.
Success stories like these are at risk because of Medicaid work requirements. These stories prove that personal, in-home education provides a unique advantage in protecting the health and welfare of both moms and babies. Without the impact of home visiting, families will face many more obstacles to good health during pregnancy and child-raising.
It is of the utmost importance, then, to minimize the effect of Medicaid work requirements in Michigan. The League has compiled many resources that explain the work requirements to prepare residents for the changes. The state also must work with home visiting organizations to alert those they serve. In the long term, Michigan also should ensure that Title V home visiting organizations are equipped to serve families and consider greater coordination between those organizations and Title X health facilities.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
