Frederick Health Announces Expansion of Family Connects Service to All Frederick County Families with Newborns
Alisha Yocum
On November 13, Frederick Health staff, along with Jessica Fitzwater, Frederick County Executive; Jan Gardner, former Frederick County Executive; and Barbara Brookmyer, Director, Frederick County Health Department, gathered to celebrate the expansion of the Family Connects service now available to all residents of Frederick County, regardless of where you deliver your baby.
The program is free, thanks to a generous seed grant from the county and the American Rescue Plan. A nurse will come to the family’s home for up to 12 weeks after birth.
Within the first 20 months of Family Connects launching, more than 2,200 families took advantage of the program, with a 100 percent satisfaction rate.
“The greatest return on health care is prevention,” Brookmyer said. She went on to explain that Family Connect offers personalized resources within our community. The data behind the service proves just how impactful it is for families, with visits resulting in 50 percent fewer emergency room visits and overnight hospital stays in the first year of life, and 30 percent fewer instances of postpartum anxiety and depression among mothers.
Alyssa Frederick used the Family Connect service after giving birth to her newborn, and she believes that it saved her life. Frederick’s blood pressure was high, and the nurse urged and convinced her to return to the hospital, where it was determined that she had postpartum preeclampsia. She spoke about her fear of separation from her baby, which initially prevented her from seeking medical treatment. But the nurse reassured her that she could bring her daughter to the emergency room. “Thanks to Family Connect, I am here to share my story.”
Fitzwater stated “….the evidence is clear. This program makes a difference in this community and on our families as a whole. I hope all Frederick County families with newborns will sign up for their visit, and we can build on the Frederick County experience to grow Family Connect across the state.”
For more information and to schedule a visit, go to www.newbornvisit.com.
