Two health units in the Kawarthas region are working with Hamilton’s McMaster University to deliver a program where public health nurses visit young first-time mothers at home during their pregnancy and the first two years of their child’s life.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Peterborough Public Health are joining five public health units in Ontario that are currently delivering the Nurse-Family Partnership program, which has been shown to improve the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of first-time parents and their children.
Already evaluated in the United States over the past 40 years, the evidence-based program has been adapted for Canada by McMaster University’s School of Nursing and is being evaluated in partnership with health units and health authorities in British Columbia and Ontario.
The free public health service is available for pregnant women 24 years old or younger who are having their first baby, have been pregnant for under 28 weeks or less, and are experiencing financial hardship or limited resources.
The program sees participants visited by a public health nurse throughout their pregnancy, continuing until their child reaches two years of age.
Over this time, an expecting parent and the public health nurse could explore topics such as how to have a healthy pregnancy, preparation for child birth, nutrition, exercise, parenting, child development, future life planning, and accessing community resources.
VIDEO: Nurse-Family Partnership (U.S.)
“This program provides expecting and new parents with the confidence and the tools they need not only to ensure a healthy start for their baby during pregnancy, but to also have a life of opportunities and success for both parent and child,” says Dorothea Service, manager of health families and harm reduction with the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, in a media release.
“By developing a close relationship with a public health nurse, pregnant individuals and parents can rely on a trusted resource for advice on everything from prenatal support to caring for their child and taking steps to provide a positive future for their new family.”
Eligible women can contact the appropriate health unit to enrol directly, and health care providers and social service agencies can also refer eligible women to the program. For more information about the program, including eligibility requirements, visit the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit website at www.hkpr.on.ca/NFP or the Peterborough Public Health website at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/your-health/nurse-family-partnership/.
