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Low-income families who get home visits through the CalWORKS program will be able to stay enrolled longer, thanks to a bill signed this week by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Starting next year, Assembly Bill 607 will let families receive the home visits for three to five years instead of the current limit of two years.

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Stacy Lee, chief learning officer and senior managing director for early childhood at the nonprofit Children Now, said evidence shows these programs make transformative changes that last a lifetime.

"They support families with child development and parenting," she said. "They work with the parents around personal goals for economic support and self sufficiency – like going to school, finishing college, getting a degree, thinking about career paths."

A 2023 report from Children Now found that home visiting programs prevent many problems for families and offer a huge return on investment for taxpayers, ranging from $1.75 to $5.70 for every dollar spent because the state ends up spending less on child protection, K-12 special education, grade retention and criminal justice.

Lee said the home visiting program can help with a wide range of issues.

"They might connect them with play groups and parenting support groups," she said. "If they need help with rent, or they're having issues with mold or pests and things, they can connect them with the community legal services. If they need a crib for the baby, they'll find somebody who can help donate that."

People can find out more on the CalWORKs Home Visiting Program website or by contacting their county social worker or a local community-based social services nonprofit.