SB 2256 Summary

• Establishes home visitation program requirements for families with children ages 0-5 and pregnant women, to be administered by the state department of health, department of human services, and superintendent of public instruction.

• Requires supported programs to include periodic face-to-face home visits by nurses, social workers, or trained paraprofessionals with goals such as improving maternal and child health, promoting positive parenting, reducing child maltreatment, and increasing school readiness.

• Programs must meet either evidence-based criteria (rigorous randomized controlled research, peer-reviewed publication, comprehensive quality standards, program fidelity) or promising program criteria (active evaluation, demonstration of effectiveness, transition plan to evidence-based status).

• Exempts one-time visits, North Dakota early intervention services under federal IDEA Part C, and case management services from program requirements.

• Requires state agencies to develop collaborative data-sharing processes and include home visitation language in contracts and grants; mandates biennial reports to legislature by January 15 of odd-numbered years on program outcomes, funding distribution between evidence-based and promising programs, and cost-per-family data.