National Home Visiting Week Celebrates Family Support Professionals

Hundreds of Southwest Iowa families benefit from home visiting programs that improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:04pm

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A soft, out-of-focus photograph in warm, pastel tones depicting a home visitor interacting with a young family in their living room, capturing the intimate, personal nature of home visiting.National Home Visiting Week celebrates the quiet, powerful work of family support professionals who provide personalized guidance and support to hundreds of families across Southwest Iowa.Onawa Today

National Home Visiting Week takes place April 20–24, recognizing the vital work of family support home visitors who provide personalized coaching and guidance to pregnant individuals and families with young children across Southwest Iowa. Home visiting programs, offered through local organizations, help strengthen families, increase self-sufficiency, and prepare children for school success.

Why it matters

Home visiting is a proven approach to supporting maternal and child health, with programs available free to families in each Southwest Iowa county. National Home Visiting Week shines a light on the life-changing impact of this work and the dedicated professionals who deliver these essential services to strengthen communities.

The details

Home visiting connects families with trained professionals who use evidence-based models to support healthy births, increase self-sufficiency, and prepare children for school. In 2025, over 200 families and 300 children participated in home visiting across the region. Local organizations, including Burgess Health Center, Harrison County Home and Public Health, and Myrtue Medical Center, provide these free services with support from the Thriving Families Alliance Early Childhood Iowa Board.

  • National Home Visiting Week takes place April 20–24, 2026.
  • In 2025, over 200 families and 300 children participated in home visiting across Southwest Iowa.

The players

Thriving Families Alliance Early Childhood Iowa Board

The regional organization that provides support and funding for home visiting programs in Southwest Iowa counties.

Child and Family Resource Network

Serves as a one-stop connection point for family support programs throughout Southwest Iowa, helping families access high-quality home visiting services.

Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals

A national organization focused on strengthening home visiting and human service programs, collaborating with partners to organize National Home Visiting Week.

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What they’re saying

“Home visiting is a powerful tool to help make our families and communities stronger and more resilient.”

— Janet Horras, Executive Director, Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals

“There was never a time I felt I couldn't trust her.”

— Local home visiting participant

“A lifeline...who didn't let this boat sink.”

— Local home visiting participant

What’s next

Families interested in home visiting services can complete an online form at www.childandfamilyresourcenetwork.org/form to get connected. Providers and community partners can request information or schedule a presentation by contacting cpowders@thrivingfamiliesalliance.org.

The takeaway

National Home Visiting Week highlights the vital role of family support professionals in Southwest Iowa, who provide personalized guidance and resources to help strengthen families, improve maternal and child health, and prepare children for academic success.