Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2024
CONTACT
Julia Sclafani
Public Relations Specialist
Email: julia.sclafani@ececd.nm.gov
Mobile: (505) 699–5937
1120 Paseo De Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501
SANTA FE, NM – Families in New Mexico can now quickly connect to Home Visiting services through a simple and easy-to-use portal. The Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) has made it easier for families with young children to get the help they need within just a few days.
“ECECD is working to make life-changing early childhood programs like Home Visiting more accessible to New Mexico families,” said ECECD Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “Whether it’s your first child or your fourth, home visitors are your trusted partners in parenting, helping you navigate the joys and challenges of caring for young children.”
Home Visiting joins the online referral system “Am I Eligible?,” streamlining the process and allowing families with young children aged prenatal to 5 to connect with a Home Visiting provider within three to five days.
“The new home visiting portal makes connecting with a provider easier than ever,” said Jenny Ferranti, Beginning Years Program Director at Gila Regional Medical Center. “Families can choose a home visiting program that best meets their needs and get a referral within minutes. Making the home visiting system easier to navigate will ensure that more families have the tools and skills necessary to raise happy, healthy, and positively attached children.”
What does Home Visiting offer?
New Mexico’s home visitors are trusted partners in parenting, here to offer families the support they need to feel confident and connected. They are available to answer questions on a wide range of topics, including prenatal care, safe sleep, bottle and breastfeeding, growth and development, parental self-care, school readiness, and more.
Home visitors meet families and caregivers where they are, without judgment, and provide personalized support tailored to each family’s needs and cultural preferences.
Home Visiting is available to all New Mexico families who are pregnant or have children aged 5 and under, regardless of income.
How to get started with Home Visiting
Anyone interested in home visiting can request services through the “Am I Eligible?” portal. All it takes is some basic information and a home visitor will contact you within three to five days.
A detailed guide to using Am I Eligible?, including step-by-step video tutorials, is available on the ECECD website: Home Visiting Referral | Early Childhood Education & Care Department (nmececd.org)
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Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham launched the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) in 2020, making New Mexico among the first states to consolidate all early childhood programs and services under a single cabinet-level agency. Under this administration, ECECD has led the nation by expanding access to free New Mexico PreK, overseeing the largest investment in early childhood infrastructure in state history, and implementing cost-free child care for a majority of New Mexico families. Learn more about how ECECD supports children, families, and the early childhood professionals that serve our communities at nmececd.org. On Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as @NewMexicoECECD.