Idaho Falls Parent Educator Nominated for National Home Visitor of the Year Honor for Work Serving Families in Homes, Hospitals, and Correctional Settings
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — A Bonneville County parent educator who has spent more than two decades supporting some of Idaho’s most vulnerable families — including those inside correctional facilities — has earned national recognition for her work. Wendy Welch, a parent educator with Eastern Idaho Public Health, has been nominated as a 2026 National Home Visitor of the Year ahead of National Home Visiting Week, observed April 20–24.
Welch was selected from among 179 nominations nationwide, recognized for her demonstrated leadership, innovation, and commitment to serving families directly in their communities. Her nomination reflects a career built on meeting parents where they are — whether at home, in a hospital, or in a correctional setting — a model increasingly seen as effective in strengthening families and improving outcomes for young children.
A Career Rooted in Community and Family Support
A bilingual professional, Welch has worked to expand access to home visiting services for Spanish-speaking families across Eastern Idaho, filling a critical gap in underserved communities. Her outreach has extended into correctional settings, where she has supported incarcerated parents and helped maintain their connection to their children during some of the most difficult periods of family life.
Families who have worked with Welch describe her as a steady, compassionate presence. One parent credited her support with helping guide their family through grief. That kind of personal impact — built visit by visit, conversation by conversation — is at the heart of what the home visiting model is designed to accomplish.
Welch herself spoke to the fulfillment she finds in the work. “As a home visitor, I am inspired every day by how parents show up,” she said. “They are doing the best they can, often in very trying circumstances. I love it when I walk through the door, and they are excited to tell me the new things that have been happening — whether good or bad. One of the most thrilling parts of being a home visitor is sharing in the ‘a-ha’ moments that happen on a home visit when parents look at me with pure joy as a child accomplishes something that they have been working on together.”
Constance Gully, president and CEO of Parents as Teachers National Center, offered her assessment of Welch’s contributions. “Home visiting works because of the people,” Gully said. “Wendy represents the very best of this field — a trusted professional who shows up every day to support families, build relationships and create lasting impact.”
Eastern Idaho’s Home Visiting Program Reaches Hundreds of Families
The Eastern Idaho Public Health Parents as Teachers Program served 153 children through 1,134 home visits in 2025. Seven home visitors currently serve an eight-county region across Eastern Idaho, providing individualized support to pregnant and parenting families during the earliest and most critical years of a child’s development.
Home visiting connects families with trained professionals who offer developmental guidance, individualized support, and connections to local resources — all delivered in the family’s own environment. Across Idaho, home visiting programs are available in every region of the state, reflecting a statewide commitment to early childhood development and family stability.
National Home Visiting Week was launched in 2025 by the Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals to spotlight the role these professionals play in improving maternal and child health outcomes and strengthening communities. The annual observance is open to all home visiting and family support professionals.
Representatives from the Parents as Teachers National Organization will travel to Idaho Falls to honor Welch in person. A public reception is scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Eastern Idaho Public Health conference room, located at 1250 Hollipark Drive in Idaho Falls. The event is sponsored by EIPH, Parents as Teachers, and the Institute for Family Service Professionals. Early childhood professionals and community members are encouraged to attend.
Welch’s recognition comes at a time when family support services — particularly those that keep parents engaged and children connected during crisis — are drawing increased attention as an effective, community-based alternative to more costly government interventions. Her work with incarcerated parents, in particular, parallels broader law enforcement and community efforts across Idaho to reduce recidivism and maintain family bonds. For more on legal matters affecting Idaho families, see our recent coverage of a Honduran national sentenced to decades in prison for lewd conduct with a child and the Franklin County Sheriff’s 287(g) agreement with ICE, which made Franklin County the second in Idaho to join a federal immigration enforcement task force.
What Comes Next
The National Home Visitor of the Year recognition will be celebrated during National Home Visiting Week, April 20–24, 2026. The public reception honoring Welch takes place Wednesday, April 22 at Eastern Idaho Public Health in Idaho Falls. Community members who wish to show support for Welch and the broader home visiting mission are welcome to attend. No registration appears required based on available information. For updates on the event and Eastern Idaho Public Health programs, residents can contact EIPH directly or visit their offices at 1250 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls.