Seattle City Council Approves $1.6 Million for Nurse-Family Partnership

Funding Increase Provides Support for More First-Time Moms Living in Poverty

DENVER, Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Seattle City Council approved Friday $1,641,672 for the Nurse-Family Partnership® program in 2013 to serve more first-time moms living in poverty in Seattle. This funding level is a 61% increase from the 2012 funding level of $1,017,816 for Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP). Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess sponsored a funding increase of $527,000 for 2013 – adding to Mayor Michael McGinn's proposed budget.

NFP is an evidenced–based public health program that pairs each first-time mom with a nurse who provides her with home visits throughout pregnancy until her child's second birthday. The nurse coaches each mom to have a healthy pregnancy, improve her child's health and development and empower her to become economically self-sufficient. Based on over 30 years of proven research, NFP has been shown to have a 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect, and a 59% reduction in child arrests at age 15, among other outcomes.

"With this funding increase, Seattle can deliver high-impact results on fighting poverty and preventing crime," said NFP President and CEO Thomas R. Jenkins Jr. "The Seattle City Council is making a smart investment in the early development of children that will bring substantial cost-savings to their community."

"Seattle prides itself on being both compassionate and effective," explained Councilmember Tim Burgess.  "When we invest our tax dollars to care for our most vulnerable, we expect positive results. By helping moms and their babies thrive while preventing crime in our neighborhoods, Nurse-Family Partnership delivers.  We hope other communities across the nation follow Seattle's lead and expand their NFP programs."

According to the RAND Corporation, every $1 invested in Nurse-Family Partnership has a $5.70 return for the highest-risk family served.

Currently, the Seattle NFP program implemented through Public Health - Seattle & King County serves low-income, first-time moms who must be under 24-years of age. This funding increase will allow the NFP program to hire four new nurses and one supervisor to be able to serve low-income, first-time moms without an age restriction.

In Washington state, NFP has had the following outcomes among moms served: 91% of babies were born full-term; 93% were born at a healthy weight; 34% of mothers who entered the program without a diploma/GED have since earned one and another 24% are working toward obtaining one; and 94% of mothers initiated breastfeeding.

Nurse-Family Partnership is currently serving over 23,000 low-income moms in 42 states across the U.S. Participation is free and voluntary for the mother.

About Nurse-Family Partnership
The Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office (www.nursefamilypartnership.org) is committed to producing enduring improvements in the health and well-being of low-income, first-time parents and their children by helping communities implement and sustain an evidence-based public health program of home visiting by registered nurses. Nurse-Family Partnership is the most rigorously tested maternal and early childhood health program of its kind. Randomized, controlled trials conducted over 30 years demonstrate multi-generational outcomes that benefit society economically and reduce long-term social service expenditures. Nurse-Family Partnership is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

SOURCE Nurse-Family Partnership