Family Connects NJ just rolled out in five counties covering more than 27,000 births over a year. Specially trained nurses are now ringing doorbells at the homes of postpartum families to promote the health of mothers and babies. The nurses provide education about issues such as infant safe-sleeping practices. They support mothers struggling with breastfeeding. They listen. And if families have additional needs, they connect them to community resources such as transportation or behavioral health services.
What’s happening now in Cumberland, Gloucester, Middlesex, Mercer, and Essex counties is the start of what will become a statewide program. Family Connects NJ reflects scientific research showing that the first 1,000 days — from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday — are the most determinative time for cognitive, socio-emotional and physical health development, and a critical window to reach families with care and support.
In a time when common ground appears increasingly elusive, the journey to the establishment of Family Connects NJ shows how organizations, communities and government came together to create landmark change. And it provides a road map to advance other initiatives we urgently need to support children and families. No one organization, no single state agency, no elected official and no individual philanthropy can do it alone.
For the Burke Foundation, the journey to bring universal home visiting to New Jersey began six years ago. As strong believers that everyone benefits when society invests in families at the earliest, most essential stages of a child’s life, we continually ask where we can have the greatest impact.
In 2017, we reached out to national experts and local community leaders, analyzed the literature on child health and development, and visited sites around the country where innovative initiatives are making a difference. Burke President James Burke traveled to a home-visiting program in Durham, North Carolina. When he returned, he was effusive in relating the warmth of the nurses and how much they wanted to help families.
This year of exploration culminated in our 2018 report Investing Early, which identified home visiting as an extraordinary and effective model with benefits backed by data.
The next step: how could we bring universal home visiting to New Jersey?
We knew it would require a coalition. We connected with the office of the first lady, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and many others who shared a vision about the importance of supporting new families as early as possible.
Next, in 2019, the Burke Foundation granted the nonprofit Trenton Health Team funds for a pilot home visitation program in Mercer County. We were inspired by Sen. Teresa Ruiz, first lady Tammy Murphy, and others who embraced the idea, especially as focus increased on New Jersey’s high maternal mortality rate and our state’s unacceptable racial disparities in maternal child outcomes.
The Department of Children and Families matched the $1.5 million Burke invested in creating the pilot. The department, the Trenton Health Team, the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium and Burke met regularly to track progress, review data and troubleshoot emergent issues.
Then in 2021, spearheaded by Sen. Ruiz and four other bill sponsors, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law, unanimously passed by state lawmakers, to make New Jersey the second state in the nation, after Oregon, to establish statewide universal newborn home visits for any family that wants it. It’s at no cost to the families.
The evidence for newborn home visiting keeps growing stronger. In home visiting, nurses teach parents and caregivers how to baby-proof homes to prevent accidents, reducing emergency room visits and infant deaths. Home visiting reduces emergency medical care by 37% through age 24 months and the impact is even greater in the first year, with results observed in almost all demographic groups. Safe-sleeping practices reduce the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. Studies find a return on investment of $1.80 to $5.70 for every dollar spent on home visiting.
There’s much more to be done, including learning how to build greater trust and increase participation among parents of color. And we’re exploring how to bring more people into the field of nursing as Family Connects NJ eventually covers 100,000 births a year.
Through our partnership, the Mercer County program has provided more than 1,000 nurse home visits. The journey to Family Connects NJ shows there is a commitment in our state to create the conditions for family success. We can build on universal home nurse visits by expanding paid leave, affordable child care, and economic supports for family health and well-being. As we create more connections for babies and families, we can help families today and create a better future for generations to come.