The second iteration of a state program to support the parents of newborns was launched in Norwich, Connecticut this week.
Family Bridge is funded by the CT Office of Early Childhood, and will be run by the nonprofit Thames Valley Council for Community Action.
Family Bridge provides up to three home visits by registered nurses to help parents transition from hospital to home, reducing ER visits by 52%.
Beth Bye, commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood, said the service really does make a difference.
“What we know is there are real inequities in birth outcomes and maternal health and child outcomes based on socioeconomic status and race,” Bye said. “And those were made worse during the Covid crisis. It is a particularly vulnerable time for parents when the baby is first born and a particularly vulnerable time for that baby.”
Joshua Kelly is the CEO of TVCCA. He said the service is free and up and running.
“We’re two months into this program,” Kelly said. “We have 33 community health worker referrals that have already occurred. Fourteen of our families have already connected with an in-home visit, eleven currently prenatal connections that we are currently working towards that will ultimately receive some of these in-home visits.”
The program started in Bridgeport last year and has helped over 1,000 families.
