County Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perinatal Support and Home Visiting

County-based public health agencies are the primary providers of perinatal, maternal and child health supports. During COVID-19, counties are finding new ways to ensure expecting and new parents have what they need to thrive. Home visiting is a critical prevention approach for reducing high-risk factors related to substance abuse, smoking cessation, violence, and child maltreatment, promoting strategies for positive parent-child attachment and health and nutrition and offering in-home coaching supporting early childhood development, learning activities and regular screenings. Perinatal health services help pregnant women access prenatal care, birthing services and other supports that address high-risk and socioeconomic factors. Counties are continuing these services virtually, promoting telehealth and telepsychiatry, and working to ensure providers have the necessary equipment to use teleconferencing, video conferencing in service delivery.

Tarrant County, Texas Tarrant County is the first in the state of Texas to launch a Help Me Grow model, a universal intake and referral system that provides early childhood and community resources to parents and conducts screenings and referrals by phone. The county also mentors other counties and municipalities throughout North Texas to enact Help Me Grow models of their own. Tarrant County leaders understand families are facing tremendous stress during this public health crisis and are in critical need of supports promoting positive caregiving and optimal healthy development for young children. The county is exploring and evaluating how to best respond to families and make the necessary adjustments to the program to improve access. In addition to remote access to developmental screenings through Help Me Grow, the county is also partnering with private health providers to offer telehealth services to children and families provided through Zoom video visits and remote access to home visiting for new parents. Learn More

The health and safety of residents are paramount for counties. County human services staff are on the frontlines providing essential medical, nutrition and financial assistance and economic supports to children, families and older adults at a critical time in our country and helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19.