The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program is a service dedicated to helping first-time moms and their babies get off to a healthy start. The program has accumulated over 37 years of research based on randomized, controlled trials. These trials have helped reduce the costs of long-term social service programs while delivering outcomes for mothers across all of Indiana.
Below are examples of outcomes that the program has seen in its years of trials:
-48% reduction in child abuse and neglect
-56% reduction in emergency room visits for accidents and poisonings
-59% reduction in child arrests at age 15
-67% reduction in behavioral and intellectual problems at child age six
-35% fewer hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
The program is important because of the focus on the early development of the child. During the first 30 months of a child’s life, basic brain functions related to vision, hearing and language are developed. This is the premier time for registered nurses to have the biggest impact. A nurse’s expertise helps guide first-time mothers through the many challenges of child birth and child development.
Foundations of East Chicago, a local nonprofit with a focus on families and communities, supports organizations and programs such as Nurse-Family Partnership that changes lives for the better. For information, contact NFP at nfp@goodwillindy.org or 317-524-3999.
