Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced Friday the creation of a new program, “Family Connects” that will offer all new families a nurse home visit around three weeks after the family brings their baby home. Eleven counties along with partner organizations were selected to participate in this new universal nurse home visiting program.

“Family Connects will allow Ohio to offer support to every new mom and family right after they come home with their new baby, to answer questions or address concerns they may have, as well as connect them to any clinical or community support they need,” said Governor DeWine. “Similar programs have a proven track record of reducing infant mortality. In places where these programs have been implemented, rates of child protective services investigations have decreased by 44 percent, and mothers showed a 30 percent drop in postpartum depression and a 50 percent reduction in emergency room visits.”

Fisher-Titus is one of 5 organizations chosen to provide newborn and maternal home nurse visits beginning this summer. In the first year, these 5 organizations are expected to serve approximately 4,000 new families.

Fisher-Titus will offer visits to families who deliver their babies at the Medical Center as well as families residing in Huron County who may have delivered at other facilities.

“For families who didn’t get connected to one of our Help Me Grow Home Visiting programs during their pregnancies, Family Connects offers us another opportunity to check in to ensure that both mom and the baby are doing well,” said Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara Wente. “We hope these visits help get families the support they need and also introduce them to the continuum of programs that the Department of Children and Youth, and our partners, can offer to them through childhood.”

“We are deeply honored to be part of the Family Connects initiative,” said Brent Burkey, President & CEO of Fisher-Titus. “Fisher-Titus looks forward to serving approximately 500 new families in Huron County and surrounding areas within the first year of this program.”

“As part of our commitment to new families and our community, we want to ensure that every new mom and family receives the essential support they require as they transition home with their newborns,” said Alisha Nims, Manager of Obstetrics at Fisher-Titus. “Through the Family Connects program, we extend personalized nurse home visits to families who give birth at Fisher-Titus, regardless of where they live, as well as Huron County mothers and babies, regardless of where they delivered.”

During their hospital stay, families will be offered the opportunity to schedule a visit. For more information on the program, visit familyconnects.org.