A program that supports families with newborns in Greene County officially kicked off on Tuesday.
Family Connects is run by the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. It’s designed to provide foundational support, which can lead to better outcomes for the child and the rest of the family, according to the health department. Public health officials say the program can lead to fewer emergency room visits when a child is young.
Families must sign up to be part of the program. Once they do, they’ll receive a free home visit in the first 12 weeks after their baby is born by nurses trained through the maternal child health program.
During the home visit, Family Connects nurses will provide breastfeeding and infant feeding education, resources for managing infant crying, safe sleep and home safety education, screenings for parents, postpartum depression/maternal mental health and connections to community resources.
