NJ Spotlight published the following article on April 14, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
HELPING FIRST-TIME MOMS CITED AS EXAMPLE OF EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE
ANDREW KITCHENMAN | APRIL 14, 2014
Policy experts, advocates cite Nurse-Family Partnership as type of program that deserves Medicaid funds
Advocates for improving healthcare in New Jersey are pointing to a program in which nurses visit first-time mothers in their homes as a good example of how to spend public healthcare funds wisely.
The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), a model that has been used throughout the country since the 1970s, brings nurses to the homes of low-income women, where the nurses can observe and interact with the women’s entire families and help them through the challenges of pregnancy and early motherhood.
It is one of several programs being highlighted by the Good Care Collaborative, an alliance of healthcare providers, advocates and policy experts that was organized over the winter.
The collaborative aims to reform Medicaid spending so that more funding goes toward programs with a track record of being effective.
The NFP organization provides training for registered nurses with through nine regional organizations that implement the program in every New Jersey county.