Public Health

David Olds, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Preventive Medicine at the University of Colorado, developed the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) program more than 20 years ago. It is a highly-acclaimed, evidence-based early childhood intervention program using the nurse home-visitation model.

 

Evidence from randomized, controlled trials proves that it is effective and yields consistently good outcomes for parents and their children. Evaluation results indicate that the nurse home visitation model yields savings to the community four times greater than program costs.

 

The program has been replicated in more than 200 sites nationwide.  The Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services is implementing the NFP model in Sacramento County.  The NFP Program serves the entire County of Sacramento.

 

Program Goals:

• Public health nurses make home visits during the women's pregnancy and first two years of the child's life.
• Nurse home visitors follow a visitor schedule keyed to the developmental stages of pregnancy and childhood.

• Mother’s personal health
• Environmental health
• Life course development
• Mother-child bonding
• Parenting skills
• Links to community resources

• 20% increase in household income
• 25% reduction in cigarette smoking during pregnancy
• 25% reduction in the rates of severity of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
• 30 month reduction in CalWORKS (welfare) utilization
• 43% reduction in subsequent pregnancies
• 44% reduction in behavioral problems due to alcohol and drug use
• 56% fewer hospital emergency room visits for children under two years
• 62% increase in breastfeeding
• 79% fewer verified reports of child abuse and neglect
• 83% increase in rates of labor force participation
• Reduced involvement of children with criminal justice system
• Reduced rates of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among children

​Who is Eligible for this Program