Family Connects
Contact
3710 University Dr,
Suite 310,
Durham, NC 27707
info@familyconnects.org
Archive for month: August, 2023
FC New Orleans had their launch event on August 1, 2023! They held a press conference at the Greater New Orleans Foundation and invited New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell and District B council member, Lesli Harris to share their excitement with the Family Connects program.
Link to article online: https://www.nola.com/news/new-orleans-families-with-newborns-will-receive-free-at-home-visits-through-new-city-program/article_4c6fffb6-3149-11ee-8277-332fd5caf0f3.html
*Click on the images for larger versions.
Family Connects International is being recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and AIM (Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health) for safe postpartum transitions to home! FCI was recognized as a change leader that: Utilize perinatal navigators, case managers, social workers, and postpartum home visiting programs where available to liaise with community resources and to ensure referral loops get closed.
Click here to download the Postpartum Discharge Transition Change Package (PDF).
Note: FCI is recognized on page 18 of the PDF.
The Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch (CCCPH), Division of Public Health is excited to announce the official launch of www.breastfeednc.com, a new, equity focused website designed to provide comprehensive information and resources to support breastfeeding mothers, fathers, and their families across North Carolina.
Breastfeeding is a crucial aspect of maternal and child health, offering numerous benefits for infants and mothers alike. With the launch of www.breastfeednc.com, our aim is to create a user-friendly platform that empowers and educates mothers, fathers, families, and healthcare professionals on the importance of breastfeeding and the resources available to facilitate successful breastfeeding journeys.
The website offers a wealth of valuable features and resources. Visitors will find evidence-based educational content covering a wide range of breastfeeding topics, including benefits, techniques, common challenges, and overcoming barriers. We have also made sure to include information specifically tailored for fathers, highlighting the significance of their involvement in breastfeeding and providing guidance on how they can support their partners throughout the breastfeeding process.
Additionally, www.breastfeednc.com features a comprehensive directory of breastfeeding support services and lactation consultants throughout North Carolina. This local support directory allows users to easily find nearby support groups, clinics, and professionals to access the assistance they need. We have also provided downloadable guides, brochures, and infographics that offer practical information and tips to expand knowledge and understanding of breastfeeding.
We invite you to explore the newly launched www.breastfeednc.com. We believe that your support and collaboration are essential in promoting the importance of breastfeeding and ensuring that families have access to the resources they need.
In addition, we have put together a toolkit to support the promotion of the new site and support for families.
- The Resource Toolkit has a summary of important resources available on the site. Please feel free to download and print or share as needed.
- The Media Toolkit has ready-made images and copy points for newsletters, blog posts, or text messages to make it easy for you to cut and paste. Please share it widely!
BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE | Staff writer Aug 2, 2023
Families with newborns in New Orleans will have access to free at-home nurse visits beginning this fall, as the city works to address the persistent health challenges facing mothers and babies.
The program, a partnership between the city’s health department, Ochsner Baptist, and Touro Infirmary, will provide up to three in-home visits for infants born at the two hospitals. The check-ins will occur during the first 12 weeks of a baby’s life.
By working with the two Uptown hospitals, the program — called Family Connects New Orleans — will serve the majority of children born in the city. In 2020, 70% of infants were born at those facilities, according to the health department.
“Maternal and child health is one of the leading indicators of the overall health of a community,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a statement. “In order for our city to thrive, we must continue to prioritize care and services for mothers and children. When they are safe, healthy, supported, and given proper resources to grow and learn, our communities succeed socially and economically.”
Before leaving the hospital, families will be scheduled for an initial home visit. Each visit will include health screenings for the mother and baby, as well as a family assessment for “environmental, behavioral, and social needs.”
The program will cost $1.5 million a year and is being paid for by the city with federal American Rescue Plan funds. It is currently slated to run for three years, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Wednesday that she hopes it will continue well beyond that.
New Orleans is one of about 40 cities nationwide to adopt the Family Connects model, pioneered by the nonprofit Family Connects International.
Maternal health challenges
Louisiana has long struggled with high rates of maternal and infant mortality and remains stuck near the top of nationwide rankings.
Touro Infirmary, for one, was highlighted in 2019 for its unusually high rates of severe childbirth complications, which USA Today found to be higher than any other New Orleans hospital. At the time, hospital officials said they objected to the article’s use of billing data to look at rates of complications and failed to account for different rates of health vulnerabilities of patients between hospitals.
Hospital representatives did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment.
Most pregnancy-associated deaths in the state occur in the first six weeks after birth and the majority are preventable, city health officials say.
A recent study found that accidental overdoses and heart conditions ranked near the top of the list for causes of death of pregnant women in Louisiana.
The infant mortality rate also exceeded the national average in New Orleans between 2017 and 2019, with significantly higher rates among Black babies, according to the Louisiana Perinatal Mortality Review Committee report.
Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the city’s health director, recently appeared on “60 Minutes” to discuss the additional challenges to maternal health posed by recently enacted abortion bans. The new restrictions have led some Louisiana health care providers to fear that treatments for problematic pregnancies or miscarriages could be viewed as providing illegal abortions.
The new program will give the city a way to connect families with other services, said Cantrell.
“It allows us to build trust, get into that home and also triage any other issues… that may be happening in the home,” she said.