Home visitation program launched for at-risk mothers

"THIS PROGRAM is about three things: children, nurses and evidence," said Sen. Jack Reed, calling the Nurse-Family Partnership smart and effective in achieving better long-term outcomes in health, nutrition and education for Rhode Island families. /

PROVIDENCE – U.S. Sen. Jack Reed joined with state agency directors and nonprofits on Oct. 26 to celebrate the launch of the Nurse-Family Partnership, a three-year, $2 million federally funded program that enables nurses to conduct regular home visits to young, first-time mothers and their infants and toddlers.

Because of Reed’s leadership in Congress, Rhode Island is one of 17 states to receive funding for the program, said Elizabeth Burke Bryant, executive director of Rhode Island Kids Count.

“This program is about three things: children, nurses and evidence,” Sen. Reed said, calling the program smart and effective in achieving better long-term outcomes in health, nutrition and education for Rhode Island families.

The program will serve up to 100 vulnerable, high-risk families in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls and Cranston. Pregnant women younger than 25 who enroll in the program will receive regular home visits beginning in pregnancy and continuing until the baby’s second birthday. The outcomes of the program will be studied and evaluated by the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, and developed into benchmarks for an evidence-based medical approach. Children’s Friend of Providence is administering the nursing program

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Gary Alexander, the director of the R.I. Department of Human Services, praised the program by the outcomes it can achieve by supporting both the mother and child’s health and learning: cutting unnecessary emergency room visits by 40 percent, reducing welfare usage by 20 percent, increasing fatherhood by 50 percent, increasing employment opportunities by 80 percent, reducing children abuse and neglect, improving prenatal health and reducing criminal activity.

“We are learning how to play together,” said Patricia Flanagan, medical director of outpatient services at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and physician at Teen-To Clinic, praising the “dream team” of government, academia and social services agencies that is supporting the initiative. She joined with Ana Novais, executive director of health at the R.I. Department of Health, and Patricia Martinez, director of the R.I. Department of Children, Youth and Families, in voicing strong support for the program at the event.

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