(1) The department shall only fund a home visitation program that includes periodic home visits to improve the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of parents and their children.

(2) A home visitation program funded by the State of Nebraska shall provide visits by nurses, social workers, and other early childhood and health professionals or trained and supervised lay workers.

(3) A home visitation program funded by the State of Nebraska shall accomplish one or more of the following:

(a) Improve maternal, infant, or child health outcomes including reducing preterm births;

(b) Promote positive parenting practices;

(c) Build healthy parent and child relationships;

(d) Enhance social and emotional development;

(e) Support cognitive development;

(f) Improve the health and well-being of the family;

(g) Empower families toward economic self-sufficiency;

(h) Reduce child maltreatment and injury; and

(i) Increase school readiness.