Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), a program of the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services, graduated 19 participants on Feb. 26. NFP is an evidence-based community health program that helps transform the lives of vulnerable mothers pregnant with their first child.
NFP is a voluntary prevention program that provides nurse home visitation services to low-income, first-time mothers, including homeless mothers. Nurses begin home or field visits early in the mother’s pregnancy and continue visitation until the child’s second birthday. Nurses provide support, education and counseling on health, behavior and self-sufficiency issues. The program has graduated 109 local families since 2009.
There are currently 120 mothers participating in NFP, with room to serve up to 150 mothers. “This program changes the life trajectories for both mother and child, benefiting multiple generations,” said Kathryn O’Malley, supervising Public Health Nurse and NFP supervisor.
NFP is one of the most rigorously tested programs of its kind. Randomized controlled trials conducted over the past 35 years demonstrate multi-generational outcomes for families and their communities. Mothers and children who have participated in the program consistently demonstrate significantly improved prenatal health, fewer subsequent pregnancies, increased maternal employment, improved child school readiness, reduced involvement in crime, and less child abuse and neglect and fewer injuries.
For more information about enrolling in Humboldt’s NFP, contact Sherrie Hanson at 268-2105.
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