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Helping moms be better parents

"The most helpful thing about having the home visits with the Nurse-Family Partnership program is the fact that you have someone by your side always looking out for your best interests."

Words of appreciation from just one of the approximately 300 first-time mothers who have graduated from, or are currently enrolled in, the Partners for Healthy Families program. To celebrate the accomplishments of these families and to recognize the Public Health Nurses who have provided them with so much, the Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) hosted its annual Partners for Healthy Families Picnic on June 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lakewood Park. Several families arrived to partake in the great food as well as the clothing and toy exchange.

"So many of us look forward to this event each year," states Cynthia Farkas, Program Supervisor. "It truly is a celebration for the nurses as well as the clients, and lets the clients know that they ARE part of a bigger picture."

Partners for Healthy Families is a Nurse-Family Partnership program in its 7th year at JCDHE. The program was developed by The National Center for Children, Families and Communities and is designed to help first-time parents succeed. Public Health Nurses work with families in their homes during pregnancy and the first two years of the child's life. JCDHE nurses help the mothers with prenatal care, parenting advice, healthy nutrition, reducing their use of cigarettes, alcohol and illegal substances, enhancing relationships, planning future pregnancies, and mastering basic life skills. The nurses also help parents develop educational and workforce goals.

"I'm a grandmother with four kids and this program taught my daughter things that I would never think of. We really miss our nurse and can't say enough good things about her."

Typically, a nurse is assigned to a family and works with that family through the duration of the program or 2 1/2 years. The Nurse-Family Partnership model has been successfully implemented in 23 states nationwide and has benefited over 20,000 high risk mothers.

Jefferson County's Nurse Family Partnership Program has been so successful that it was selected to host several representatives from the British Ministry of Health and became a model for implementing up to 10 pilot programs in England in spring 2007.

Consistent program effects include: improved prenatal health, fewer childhood injuries, fewer subsequent pregnancies, increased intervals between births, increased maternal employment, and improved school readiness. For more information on the Partners for Healthy Families Program, please contact: Cynthia Farkas, Program Supervisor at 303-239-7074.