Home Visiting services further Maternal and Child health initiatives to improve health outcomes for pregnant and parenting persons
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is launching new coverage for home visiting services for pregnant and parenting Medicaid customers, effective Nov. 21. The newly-covered services and supports aim to meet the needs of pregnant and parenting individuals at a critical time in their healthcare journey, in order to create better health outcomes for both parents and their children.
Covered prenatal home visits will include health education, blood pressure monitoring, behavioral health screenings, domestic and intimate partner violence education and screenings, stress management and service referrals. These services, among others, will be delivered in accordance with HFS-recognized, evidence-based and research-informed nurse and non-nurse home visiting models.
Home Visiting services are a key part of an effort to promote more equitable maternal outcomes for all birthing persons, a key goal of the Pritzker Administration. Home visiting services will help ensure that all birthing persons in Illinois receive timely, respectful and quality care aimed at closing maternal health coverage gaps.
This coverage furthers ongoing Maternal and Child health initiatives in Illinois that are already underway. Home visiting services are the newest provider type to be added for Illinois Medicaid customers, following the launch of new coverage for Certified Doula and Lactation Consultant Services in December 2024. In January 2025, Illinois was selected to participate in the new federal Transforming Maternal Health Model, promoting birth equity through a whole-person approach to care, and in September 2025, the Illinois Birth Equity Blueprint was released, a report that outlines a roadmap for improved maternal and child health outcomes for all state residents.
Building on the solid foundation of successful home visiting services already in place in Illinois, which currently serve more than 15,000 children annually through multiple program models, these new offerings will further support pregnant and parenting Illinoisans. Emerging evidence has highlighted the benefits of home visiting programs, as they help families access nurses and other trained home visiting professionals who can assist in navigating prenatal and postpartum care services, as well as provide health education on various milestones and help strengthen the bond between parent and child.
According to Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) data, in fiscal year 2024, Illinois exceeded a number of national benchmarks for those receiving services. Those include 90% of caregivers receiving these services being screened for depression within three months of enrollment or three months of delivery, and 75% of children completing the most recent American Academy of Pediatrics well child visit.
IDEC is the first state agency that will fully focus on supporting early childhood education and services in Illinois as of July 1, 2026.
Providers seeking to enroll as a home visiting organization must be certified by the appropriate national governing body to deliver services. HFS will be hosting a Maternal Child Health Provider Town Hall on Dec. 9 to provide updates and home-visiting training. Providers interested in taking part can register here.
