Every new parent wants to give their child the best start in life, but that isn’t always easy for someone already struggling to get by. In Essex County, as in most of the Adirondack region, poverty rates are above the state average, foster care admissions are higher, and substance use disorders are soaring.
“The only way to get ahead of this is to get in early,” says Linda Beers, Director of Public Health for the Essex County Health Department. Too often, though, the parents who could most use support don’t receive it, for a variety of reasons that include stigma and barriers to access.
Last year, with funding from Adirondack Foundation, the department launched Baby Steps to Bright Futures to provide universal home visiting within the first few weeks after birth. Home visiting has been found to have lasting positive impacts for a child’s school readiness and health and for helping families become more economically secure. The Foundation’s Adirondack Birth to Three Alliance (BT3) has made home visiting one of its priorities, convening a monthly workgroup around the topic.
Too often, though, the parents who could most use support don’t receive it, for a variety of reasons that include stigma and barriers to access."
The program consists of three home visits and a follow-up phone call with a nurse, health educator, or lactation consultant. It’s offered to all parents or other primary caregivers of newborns within the county, regardless of income, socioeconomic status, or demographic characteristics. This is crucial for reducing the stigma, so parents don’t feel singled out, says Beers. “Once it’s universal, that’s the turn of the tide.”
In addition to a Generous Acts grant for a Kinder Closet to provide onesies and other baby items, the Foundation helped the agency purchase case management software, which Beers says will be key to measuring the program’s success.
Anecdotal data is already demonstrating its impact. Elizabeth Terry, Senior Public Health Educator, recalls one family that was behind on their rent and at risk of being evicted. They were able to help the family stay in their home, apply for SNAP, and refer them to other services. Another family did not have a safe place for their newborn to sleep, so
the agency used some of the grant money to purchase a mattress.
Some parents may fear having their living situation exposed to scrutiny, but Terry says the goal of the program is to support and empower families, not report them. “Most families are receptive once they understand that,” she says.
Those who decline home visits or don’t respond are sent an informational packet with an educational booklet on what to expect during their baby’s first year and information on family health programs and lactation support groups. After receiving the packet, some families reach back out or attend support groups. “We consider this a ‘win’ because even if a family isn’t comfortable with a home visit, we’re still able to connect and provide support in alternative ways,” says Terry.
Once a connection is made and trust is established, that person might remember and reach out about future needs. Whatever those may be, Terry says, she wants parents to know, “You’re not alone.”
