Home Visiting Leadership Alliance (HVLA)

The Home Visiting Leadership Alliance (HVLA) functions under the administrative responsibility of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY) through a grant agreement with the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). Established in January 2016 and jointly chaired by TCCY and TDH, HVLA unites leadership from evidence-based home visiting programs, state departments, and stakeholders statewide. Through regular quarterly meetings and the concerted efforts of three action teams— Common Language, Workforce Development, and the Healthy Families TN (HFT) Advisory Board— HVLA fosters collaboration, information sharing, and professional development to bolster evidence-based home visiting programs throughout Tennessee. These initiatives ultimately contribute to the enhancement of services provided, leading to improved outcomes for children and families.

Research indicates that evidence-based home visiting programs have significant and lasting impacts, including preventing child abuse and neglect, promoting positive parenting, improving prenatal health and birth outcomes, and enhancing child development and school readiness. Moreover, these programs yield substantial cost savings for the state by proactively addressing developmental delays and traumatic experiences. With an impressive return on investment, saving nearly $6 for every $1 invested¹, home visiting programs demonstrate their efficacy in delivering cost-effective solutions. Through the delivery of culturally competent, personalized services within families' homes, home visitors play a pivotal role in driving tangible improvements across critical indicators of child well-being.

Tennessee currently supports four evidence-based home visiting program models: Healthy Families America (Healthy Start), Nurse Family Partnership, Maternal Infant Home Outreach Worker (MIHOW), and Parents as Teachers. Additionally, the promising practice model, Nurses for Newborns, receives funding in the state. HVLA plays a crucial role in supporting these programs, which have demonstrated effectiveness in improving outcomes for families and children across Tennessee.

Click this link to learn more about why home visiting matters!