Nurse-Family Partnership NewsLink Spring 2019 | Page 13

#ParentAmbassador

INTRODUCING SIX NFP GRADUATES WHO WILL TRAVEL THE COUNTRY TELLING THEIR STORIES AND ADVOCATING FOR NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP

One woman learned she was pregnant just before her husband was to be deployed in the military. Another feared for her future as the father of her child descended into addiction.

Confronting these daunting challenges is all in a day’s work for the team at Nurse-Family Partnership, which provides specially-trained registered nurses who make home visits for the first two years of a child’s life to first-time moms facing poverty and some of the toughest problems life can throw their way.

The Parent Ambassadors, who are graduates of

the national Nurse-Family Partnership program, will engage policymakers and the public on the local, state and national levels to build awareness

and understanding of the benefits of the program to families and communities.

“We are excited to have our Parent Ambassadors in the field sharing their experiences and creating greater understanding for how dramatically lives can be changed with the support of Nurse-Family Partnership,” said Sarah McGee, chief policy and government affairs officer. “They are proof of the effectiveness of this program for families and communities.”

They will serve as advocates for NFP families and work to increase access to the program nationwide. They also will be a sounding board for leaders at NFP to ensure that the program is continuously responsive to the changing needs of families, and will help spread the word about the program through social media and personal outreach.

Each cohort of Parent Ambassadors will serve for two years.

i wanted to give back because this program has literally changed my life.

— allison, NFP parent ambassador