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FULL STORY
Article by Kristen Jordan Shamus
Photography by Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press
Special thanks to McLeod Home Health, Nurses Wendi Miller and Jennifer Turner, our dedicated Nurse-Family Partnership teams in South Carolina and our amazing clients like Zaria Wilson and Brittany Addison, who are overcoming obstacles every day.
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FLORENCE, S.C. – One in five babies
in South Carolina is born to a first-time, low-income mother. Many of the moms are young, like 18-year-old Zaria Wilson, who gave birth in February.
Recognizing that intervention could improve the lives of mothers like Wilson – and potentially save taxpayers money – South Carolina took a revolutionary approach this year to creating a better future for its most vulnerable families.
The state sold social-impact bonds to expand the reach of the Nurse-Family Partnership. The program pairs specially trained nurses with low-income pregnant women for regular home visits until their babies turn 2. The nurses coach new mothers on everything from proper nutrition to safe-sleep practices, from car-seat safety to caring for their infants. They connect them to resources and encourage them to continue their educations and get jobs.
South Carolina Finds innovative Way to Help first-time moms
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In December, Nurse-Family Partnership was on the front page of the Detroit Free Press. An article by Kristen Jordan Shamus reported on the innovative Pay for Success project that is expanding Nurse-Family Partnership’s reach in South Carolina and what it would take for a similar expansion in Michigan. Shamus spotlighted McLeod Home Health, Nurses Wendi Miller and Jennifer Turner, and moms Zaria Wilson (18) and Brittany Addison (22.) This story was one feature story in a series looking at efforts to improve children’s lives. Nurse-Family Partnership’s feature story was reprinted in over 20 other papers across the U.S.
The video and article shows the strengths of the young moms in the program and how their nurses are there for them – helping them to be confident, more knowledgeable
first-time parents despite many challenges.