§ 256I.13 — Family support program — funding intent

Iowa § 256I.13

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title VII: EDUCATION, HISTORY, AND CULTURE
• Ch. 256I: EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE

Text

1. In order to implement the legislative intent stated in sections 135.106 and 256I.9, that
§256I.13, EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE 10
priority for family support program funding be given to programs using evidence-based or
promising models for family support, it is the intent of the general assembly that ninety
percentofstatefundsexpendedforfamilysupportprogramsshallbeusedforevidence-based
orpromisingprogrammodels. Theremainingtenpercentoffundsmaybeusedforinnovative
programmodelsthatdonotyetmeetthedefinitionofevidence-basedorpromisingprograms.
2. For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires or unless
otherwise provided under federal law:
a. “Evidence-based program” means a program that is based on scientific evidence
demonstrating that the program model is effective. An evidence-based program shall be
reviewed on site and compared to program model standards by the model developer or
the developer’s designee at least every five years to ensure that the program continues to
maintain fidelity with the program model. The program model shall have had demonstrated
significant and sustained positive outcomes in an evaluation utilizing a well-designed and
rigorous randomized controlled research design or a quasi-experimental research design,
and the evaluation results shall have been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
b. “Family support programs” includes group-based parent education or home visiting
programs that are designed to strengthen protective factors, including parenting skills,
increasing parental knowledge of child development, and increasing family functioning and
problem solving skills. A family support program may be used as an early intervention
strategy to improve birth outcomes, parental knowledge, family economic success, the home
learning environment, family and child involvement with others, and coordination with other
community resources. A family support program may have a specific focus on preventing
child maltreatment or ensuring children are safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school.
c. “Promising program” means a program that meets all of the following requirements:
(1) The program conforms to a clear, consistent family support model that has been in
existence for at least three years.
(2) The program is grounded in relevant empirically based knowledge.
(3) The program is linked to program-determined outcomes.
(4) The program is associated with a national or state organization that either has
comprehensive program standards that ensure high-quality service delivery and continuous
program quality improvement or the program model has demonstrated through the
program’s benchmark outcomes that the program has achieved significant positive outcomes
equivalent to those achieved by program models with published significant and sustained
results in a peer-reviewed journal.
(5) The program has been awarded the Iowa family support credential and has been
reviewed on site at least every five years to ensure the program’s adherence to the Iowa
family support standards approved by the state board or a comparable set of standards. The
on-site review is completed by an independent review team that is not associated with the
program or the organization administering the program.
3. a. The data reporting requirements adopted by the state board pursuant to section
256I.4 for the family support programs targeted to families expecting a child or with newborn
and infant children through age five and funded through the state board shall require the
programs to participate in a state-administered internet-based data collection system. The
state board’s annual report submitted each January to the governor and general assembly
under section 256I.4 shall include family support program outcomes.
b. The data on families served that is collected by the family support programs
funded through the early childhood Iowa initiative shall include but is not limited to basic
demographic information, services received, funding utilized, and program outcomes for
the children and families served. The state board shall adopt performance benchmarks for
the family support programs.
c. The state board shall identify minimum competency standards for the employees and
supervisors of family support programs funded through the early childhood Iowa initiative.
d. The state board shall adopt criminal and child abuse record check requirements for the
employees and supervisors of family support programs funded through the early childhood
Iowa initiative.
e. The state board shall develop a plan to implement a coordinated intake and referral
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processforpubliclyfundedfamilysupportprogramsinordertoengagethefamiliesexpecting
a child or with newborn and infant children through age five in all communities in the state.