More New Jersey newborns and their mothers will be entitled to free at-home visits with a specially-trained nurse under a statewide program that has been expanded.
The visits, part of the state’s Family Connects NJ program, will be expanded to six additional counties starting in January, state officials announced. The new counties are: Somerset, Sussex, Passaic, Hudson, Bergen and Ocean.
Launched earlier this year, the Family Connects NJ program offers support for families and newborns within two weeks of their deliveries. The program began offering the free nurse visits in Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex and Essex counties on Jan. 15, state officials said.
Participation is voluntary. The program is free to all families, regardless of income, insurance or immigration status.
“Postpartum parents are often so focused on the health and needs of their new baby that they may be unaware of or overlook their own medical needs, which can put them at risk of serious medical complications, particularly with conditions like preeclampsia,” said state Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer.
“This expansion will help us continue to reach and support new parents in New Jersey within two weeks of birth, an often tiring, confusing and emotionally charged time, and to improve maternal and infant health outcomes,” she said.
In addition to mothers who gave birth, those eligible for the nurse visits include adoptive parents, and parents who experienced a stillbirth, officials said. It is also open to relatives or others who take on the responsibility of caring for a newborn.
The program will continue to expand incrementally on an annual basis until it’s fully implemented across the state, officials said.
A nurse will check the baby’s well-being and the mother’s physical and mental health during the home visits. The nurse will also provide postpartum education, feeding and sleeping tips and may connect the family to community programs, including food assistance and doulas.
The launch comes after Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to create a statewide, universal home visitation program for newborns in July 2021.
New Jersey is the second state to launch a program, officials said. Oregon was the first.
As of May 9, preliminary data shows 14% of the nurse visits in New Jersey result in a referral of the mother or infant to the emergency department or to their medical providers, officials said.
“In fact, more than 1 in 10 visits required immediate medical care, and the nurse was able to identify and get the family access to that care, potentially saving the mother’s life,” said Dr. Sanjna Shah, a medical advisor to the state’s program.
A universal home visitation program was a key recommendation of First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan, a statewide initiative launched in 2019 that aims to reduce maternal mortality rates and eliminate racial disparities in the state.
Infant deaths are at a record low in the state, according to federal data. But, a Black baby is nearly three times more likely than a white baby to die before his or her first birthday. Black mothers also continue to face high mortality rates.
More than 50% of maternal deaths occur after childbirth, officials said. The visits are part of an effort to catch complications as early as possible.
“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the five counties launched earlier this year, and I look forward to expanding this incredibly common sense — but groundbreaking — program into more counties beginning in 2025,” said Murphy said.
“The fact that nurses are both identifying physical challenges early and ensuring critical follow-ups when merited as well as providing support and resources beyond a health check means we are actually building a stronger and more equitable system and state,” she said.
More information about the program is available at www.FamilyConnectsNJ.org. Interested families can schedule a nurse visit through the website.
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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.
