The Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade (HSCMD) recently announced an annual increase in funding to the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program in Miami-Dade County for $150,000 over the course of three years, with a grand total of $450,000.
Additionally, the generous contribution by the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade leveraged an additional $55,000 annually for a total of $165,000 over three years from the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office as part of their Incentive Fund Awards.
As part of the Florida Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Initiative, the program allows specialized nurses to deliver support to vulnerable first-time parents. Health Choice Network (HCN) oversees the highly successful evidence-based program locally.
“We are elated to fortify our alliance with Nurse-Family Partnership with our increased support,” said HSCMD CEO Manuel Fermin. “As we continue our mission of reducing the number of low-weight babies and pre-term births in our community, the Nurse-Family Partnership program is crucial to our local prevention and awareness initiatives.”
Other key partners in the expansion include the Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalitions (FAHSC), the Maternal Infant & Early Childhood Home Visiting Initiative (MIECHV), the Health Choice Network (HCN), the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) and the Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQCHCs).
The increased funding from HSCMD will allow NFP to hire two additional full-time nurses for the program. Based out of the Jessie Trice Community Health Center and the Center for Child and Family Enrichment, the nurses will be able to assist pregnant women in Miami-Dade County’s highest risk zip codes.
Over 40 years of research show that Nurse-Family Partnership is successful in improving maternal health and birth outcomes, preventing child abuse, reducing childhood injuries, increasing children’s school readiness and reducing juvenile crime.
For more information about the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade, visit hscmd.org.
