State Senator Cristina Castro led a new law that will expand at-home care for newborns and their families. Over the last three decades, Illinois has administered home visiting programs to assist with child development, parenting skills, family bonding and health, and more. The current home visiting system is a valuable resource for early childhood development statewide, serving approximately 17,000 Illinois families annually. Home visiting programs have proven to have significant positive effects on maternal and family well-being by improving maternal mental and behavioral health, parent-child interactions and family economic circumstances. Castro’s law builds on current state support by authorizing the Illinois Department of Human Services to develop and oversee a statewide, voluntary, no-cost newborn home visiting program that will aid with existing and future short-term universal newborn home visiting services, from lactation support to health screenings. House Bill 4606 was signed on Friday and takes effect July 1, 2027.