WeVote
Log In

Bill

WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 885

Bill summary: HB 885 (Ohio, 136th General Assembly)

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a framework to develop and implement a universal home visiting program for eligible families in Ohio.
  • Requires the Children and Youth Advisory Council to create a plan and directs the program to be named the Family Home Visits Act.
  • Aims to improve child health outcomes and achieve cost-effectiveness by using evidence-based home visiting models.

Key provisions

  • Definitions (Section 5180.23(A))

    • Eligible family: families that may receive evidence-based home visiting services, including foster caregivers in planned permanent living arrangements, newly adoptive parents, new family/friend/neighbor care providers, and certain inmates postpartum who maintain parental rights.
    • Family, friend, and neighbor care provider: individuals caring for another child in a home setting without licensed status (includes kinship caregivers and other nonlicensed providers).
    • Home visiting program: an evidence-based model shown to improve child health and be cost-effective, as assessed by HomVEE (U.S. DHHS criteria).
    • Planned permanent living arrangement: aligned with existing Ohio law (section 2151.011).

  • Plan development and submission (Section 5180.23(B))

    • Timing: The Children and Youth Advisory Council must develop a plan within 100 days of the act’s effective date.
    • Process: The council submits the plan to the Director of Children and Youth; the director must publish the plan on the Ohio Department of Children and Youth website and forward it to the General Assembly.

  • Plan contents (Section 5180.23(B)(2))

    • May include:
    • Expansion of existing programs (e.g., Help Me Grow) or creation of a universal home visiting program.
    • Applications for federal/private funding (grants).
    • Recommendations on pay-for-success and social impact bonds.
    • Other actions to efficiently expand home visiting, including extending to foster caregivers, new adoptive families, and new family/friend/neighbor providers.
    • Establishment or expansion of programs for pregnant/postpartum inmates with parental rights.
    • Plan goals:
    • Target at least a 20% annual expansion over five years.
    • Specify department actions that do not require legislation.
    • For actions needing legislation, specify needed actions and any appropriation requests.

  • Implementation timeline (Section 5180.23(C))

    • The Department of Children and Youth must begin implementing actions not requiring legislative action within 60 days after plan submission.

  • Outreach (Section 5180.23(D))

    • Within one year of the act’s effective date, the department must develop and execute an outreach plan to inform new family/friend/neighbor care providers about eligibility for home visiting.

  • Automatic enrollment processes (Section 5180.23(E))

    • By 120 days after the act’s effective date, agency directors must adopt rules to establish automatic enrollment processes for eligible individuals through the central intake and referral system.
    • Enrollment mechanisms include:
    • Birth certificate forms: consent to enroll via a checkbox.
    • Foster care/adoption forms: consent for eligible caregivers/adoptive parents.
    • Postpartum/medical care forms: consent for expectant/parental enrollment.
    • Integrated public assistance applications: consent to enroll.
    • Upon consent, the department must enter enrollment in the central system, cross-reference eligibility, and contact the individual to complete enrollment.

Affected parties and scope

  • Who is eligible for universal home visiting under this act:
    • Foster caregivers in planned permanent living arrangements.
    • Newly adoptive parents.
    • New family, friend, and neighbor care providers (unlicensed, non-primary caregivers).
    • Pregnant or postpartum inmates who retain parental rights.
  • Providers and settings: Home visiting services delivered through evidence-based models (HomVEE-approved), potentially expanding existing programs such as Help Me Grow.
  • State agencies involved: Department of Children and Family Services (referred to as the Department of Children and Youth in Ohio code), the Children and Youth Advisory Council, and related health and job service departments for enrollment and implementation.

Timelines and procedural notes

  • Effective date unspecified in the text provided; timing anchored to “effective date of this section.”
  • Plan development: within 100 days of effective date.
  • Publication and legislative submission: plan published by director and transmitted to General Assembly.
  • Implementation: where not requiring new legislation, actions begin within 60 days after plan submission.
  • Outreach: within 1 year, outreach plan to new eligible care providers.
  • Automatic enrollment: rules for enrollment processes to be adopted within 120 days.
  • Ongoing expansion target: at least 20% annual growth over five years.

Overall impact

  • Sets in motion a statewide, universal, evidence-based home visiting framework aiming to broaden support for children’s health and development.
  • Formalizes automatic enrollment mechanisms to reduce barriers to participation.
  • Encourages collaboration across state agencies and potential use of innovative financing (pay-for-success, social impact bonds) and grant funding to scale programs.
  • Explicitly includes nontraditional caregiver arrangements (family/friend/neighbor providers) and certain inmates’ parental rights scenarios.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.