Home - Family Connects

Slide

EVERY FAMILY IS NURTURED AS THEY WELCOME A NEWBORN

Family Connects transforms care for families with newborns by partnering to offer nurse visits, so every family has access to healthcare, guidance, and connections.

Through our evidence-based universal nurse visiting model, we ensure every family with a newborn is supported, connected, and confident as they navigate early childhood and grow together.

Making an Impact, One Family at a Time

Our Journey Since 2017

149491

Families Served

250424

Referrals Made To Community Services

880

Nurses Trained

Where We Work

Discover where we work—click on a state below to explore our Family Connects locations.

Bring Family Connects to Your Community

Our Story

Family Connects International began in 2008 as a partnership between the Center for Child & Family Health and Duke University to support families with free, universal nurse home visits. In 2022, Family Connects became an independent nonprofit, expanding its reach and deepening its impact.

By integrating short-term nurse visits with community resources, Family Connects ensures families receive the support they need during the postpartum period. Today, we continue working nationwide to foster healthier outcomes for newborns and their families.

See Our Impact

Real Results That Make a Difference

Randomized controlled trials of the Family Connects Model in 2009 and 2014 revealing significant benefits:

50%

Fewer ER Visits and Hospital Stays for Babies in the First Year

30%

Lower Risk of Postpartum Depression for Mothers

15%

Increase in Community Resource Engagement

News & Highlights

Family Connects Seeks Board Governance Consultant

July 14, 2026

Continue Reading Family Connects Seeks Board Governance Consultant

Family Connects’ Strategic Plan to Envision a National Standard for Postpartum Care

July 6, 2026

Continue Reading Family Connects’ Strategic Plan to Envision a National Standard for Postpartum Care

Board Member Michele Benoit-Wilson Speaks at the NC Black Maternal Health Day of Action Supporting MOMnibus Legislative Package

June 22, 2026

Continue Reading Board Member Michele Benoit-Wilson Speaks at the NC Black Maternal Health Day of Action Supporting MOMnibus Legislative Package

The Latest from Family Connects on Facebook

Family Connects

3 days ago

Congratulations to our Quarterly Employee Award Winners! 🎉We are proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of our standout team members. Join us in celebrating these incredible employees for their well-deserved quarterly awards! #familyconnects … See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

Family Connects

4 days ago

When families are supported from the start, the entire community benefits. Our 2026–2029 Strategic Plan highlights how coordinated postpartum care acts as critical community infrastructure. Years of research proves that our Model reduces systemic strain while remaining incredibly cost-effective: –Every $1 invested in Family Connects nurse visits generates a $3 return to the community. –A new Tulane study found that Family Connects NOLA decreased total Medicaid spending by 28% for mothers and infants in the 9-month postpartum window. –Our visits have driven a 33% decrease in child emergency department visits over time. Coordinated care reduces fragmentation and builds community resilience. Explore the data behind the strategy: familyconnects.org/strategic-plan#PublicHealth #EconomicImpact #CommunityResilience #SmartInvestment #familyconnects #DataDriven … See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

Family Connects

5 days ago

At Family Connects, we believe early support helps families build strong foundations. On Global Hug Your Kid Day, we’re celebrating the care, comfort, and connection shared in families every day.#StrongerFamilies #FamilyConnects #GlobalHugYourKidDay … See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

Bring Family Connects to Your Community

Join us in providing vital support to newborns and their families by implementing Family Connects in your area.

Get Started

COMMITTEE MEMBER, FOUNDER

Dr. Karen O’Donnell is Associate Professor (retired), Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center and Director of Prevention and Global Initiatives at the Center for Child and Family Health (also retired). She is a Senior Research Fellow at Duke Global Health Initiative. She received her graduate training in special education (M.Ed.) and clinical psychology (Ph.D.) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed post-doctoral study in Early Childhood at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle.

She has been a Licensed Practicing Psychologist in North Carolina since 1988. Her expertise focuses on infant and early childhood and development, traumatic stress, parenting, maternal mental health and treatment, the effects of in utero cocaine and HIV exposure on early development, and child and family assessment. Dr. O’Donnell is the lead author on the PEPFAR funded Child Status Index (CSI), now used to assess orphans and other vulnerable children in over 16 resource poor countries; the CSI provided the model for the Family Support Matrix, used in the Family Connects program. She continues to be an active participant in the implementation of the universal short-term home visiting program for newborns and their families, Family Connects, and its national dissemination.