Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) was awarded $150,000 from the AllOne Foundation to support the MFHS High Risk Nurse Home Visiting Project. The project enables the MFHS Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) Program to increase the number of at-risk, multiparous women (women who have experienced one or more child births) who receive evidence-based home visiting services.
“Partnering moms with our caring nurse home visitors has long been proven to empower mothers in having a healthy pregnancy, and navigating all of the challenges that come with a new baby,” says Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD, MFHS President and CEO, “MFHS thanks the AllOne Foundation for supporting the expansion of the NFP Program so more at-risk mothers can get the support they need to have healthy, thriving children.”
MFHS is part of an initiative to expand access to the NFP Program, which is traditionally for at-risk, first time mothers only, to include at-risk mothers who have had a previous birth and could benefit from having a specially trained registered nurse provide care and support during pregnancy and through the child’s second birthday.
In addition to expanding access to NFP, the project funds a mental health professional to provide nurse home visitors with training and case consultation to address the complex mental health needs of clients, integrate mental health supports into the NFP program, increase linkages to mental health resources and strengthen collaboration with mental health services in the community, and build and develop the nurse home visitors’ capacity for engaging with mothers who are experiencing behavioral health and mental health challenges which could interfere with parenting and the parent-child relationship.
Interested parents-to-be in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wayne Counties can learn more about the program by visiting MFHS.org or calling 1-800-367-6347.
Maternal and Family Health Services is a non-profit health and human service organization working to improve the health of Pennsylvania women and children by offering programs that prevent disease, promote wellness, and empower individuals to make healthy choices. The agency offers the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program; Family Planning Program; Healthy Beginnings Plus Prenatal Program; the Nurse-Family Partnership Program and the SafeTeens Initiative in a 16-county area of Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.mfhs.org, or call 1-800-367-6347.
Photo Left to right: John Cosgrove, Maria Montero-Edwards, President and CEO, Maternal and Family Health Services: Peter Danchak, Board Member, AllOne Foundation and Charities
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