Using $8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, Frederick County will be launching a program providing home visits upon the birth of a child to ensure the health and wellbeing of the mother and newborn.
According to the Frederick News-Post, approximately 2,800 births take place within the county, and the program intends to enroll 60-70% of these newborns’ families. Through the program, Frederick anticipates improved outcomes including safer home environments, fewer emergency room visits, and decreased likelihood of postpartum depression and anxiety.
Pilar Olivo, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Liaison for the Frederick County Office of Children and Families, discussed the importance of early interventions in helping children flourish in the News-Post:
“If we want kids to have strong brain architecture by the time they’re entering kindergarten, we need to be thinking about that from day one,” Olivo said, “right from the moment of birth.”
Frederick will be employing a model developed at Duke University entitled, “Family Connects.” Using this model, Frederick will have registered nurses visit homes and conduct screenings and assessments to ensure primary caregivers have the resources and knowledge they need. The program will be run in tandem with Frederick Health.
