First time Moms . . . Here’s a program just for you!

Connect with Nurse Family Partnership

Nurse-Family Partnership® (NFP) is an evidence-based, community health program that helps transform the lives of vulnerable mothers pregnant with their first child. Each mother served by the program is partnered with a registered nurse early in her pregnancy and receives ongoing nurse home visits that continue through her child’s second birthday. Independent research proves that communities benefit from this relationship — every dollar invested in Nurse-Family Partnership can yield up to five dollars in return. Nurse-Family Partnership is based on more than 35 years of research from randomized, controlled trials that prove it works. Nurse-Family Partnership produces multi-generational outcomes that benefit communities and eliminate the costs of long-term social service programs. For example, the following outcomes have been observed among participants in at least one of the trials of the program:

• 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect 

• 56% reduction in emergency room visits for accidents and poisonings 

• 59% reduction in arrests at child age 15 

• 67% reduction in behavioral and intellectual problems at child age six 

• 72% fewer convictions of mothers at child age 15

In addition, Nurse-Family Partnership services have shown decreases in the number of families enrolled in Medicaid and food stamps programs, as well as improvements in pregnancy outcomes, health status, school achievement, parental employment and family stability. Help a first time mom you may know connect with NFP and change lives for the better.

For more information:

• Contact NFP: Mary Beth Mary Beth Wenger, Program Supervisor at 303-239-7074 or email: mwenger@jeffco.us
• Learn more about the Jefferson County Public Health Nurse Family Partnership program.

Empowering Pregnant Women to have a Healthy Pregnancy and a Healthy Baby . . . Prenatal Plus and Nurse Family Partnership

Prenatal Plus is for Medicaid eligible women, whether it’s their first or fifth child. A public health nurse, dietitian and/or mental health specialist will meet with mother during home or office visits throughout the pregnancy and up to 2 months after the baby is born. The team supports expecting moms in setting goals to positively impact the health of their baby and their family.

JCPH Nurse Family Partnership is for women having their first baby. A public health nurse will visit mother in her home during pregnancy and until baby is 2 years old. The nurse will help mother learn about pregnancy and parenting while helping mother set and achieve goals.

Please call 303-232-6301 to talk with a nurse about either of these programs. 

Getting to Know a Public Health Nurse

I’ve enjoyed giving all of you a glimpse into what a Communicable Disease Control Nurse does on a daily basis. As you can probably tell, many people are involved in the day-to-day tasks that help keep our community safe and healthy. Some of the most important people with whom we collaborate include our department’s Environmental Health Specialists. Not only do they participate in certain types of disease investigations, but they have expertise in a wide range of environmental issues. It is now my pleasure to introduce to you to Carla Opp, Environmental Health Specialist.

Getting to Know a Public Health Nurse

Okay, so when I was first approached about doing a blog on what it is to be a Public Health Nurse, I was excited although a little apprehensive. My name is Keara Biller and I have been a Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment Public Health Nurse for a year and a half. I work in the communicable disease control and immunization programs, and my days are never the same.

I started nursing by doing my requisite years as a hospital floor nurse, but I find myself more mentally stimulated by the job I have now. The human body is an amazing thing, and being the daughter of two health professionals exposed me to this fact from a young age. Nursing fit well with my interest in medicine and helping others; I just had to discover what area of nursing would become my niche. As much as I enjoyed working with patients in the hospital setting, I hated the fact that some of their conditions were, to a degree, preventable. For many, a simple lack of education or access to preventive health care created situations that warranted a hospital stay. Every day I met people who didn’t know enough about diet and exercise. Others had no idea that smoking cessation programs exist to help them. And some were hospitalized because of vaccine-preventable diseases like influenza and Hepatitis B.

I remember seeing a framed quote in a doctor’s office when I was very young…. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Of course at that time I had no idea what the quote meant, but it has now become the philosophy I apply to many areas of my life. If only we could get everyone to think like that, this nation (and world) might be a much healthier place.

Being a Public Health Nurse is an intriguing job. It truly gives new meaning to the saying “Learn something new every day.”