Impact

Family Connects is an evidence-based model with proven impact nationally.

90% of families needed one or more links to resources or education. [1]

Mothers were more likely to complete their 6-week postpartum health check. [3]

Total child maltreatment investigations reduced by 44% through child age 2. [3]

Total child emergency room visits and hospital overnights were reduced by 50% through age 12 months and 37% through age 2 years. [1]

$3.17 reduction in total hospital billing costs for every $1.00 in program costs. [2]

Research has shown that when families participate in Family Connects, mothers feel less anxious, parents learn about quality child care options and babies need less emergency care at hospitals. That is good for babies, families and the whole community.

Family Connects Austin/Travis County 2024 Impact

96% of families who received a visit had at least one concern addressed.

Family Connects Annual Report 2024

99.5% of caregivers would recommend Family Connects to a friend.

Family Connects Annual Report 2024

“We were so blessed to have had Family Connects reach out to us. The experience came at a very difficult and vulnerable time for me as a first time mom, and the compassion and care Nurse Sandy showed my baby and me was unparalleled. Not only was I provided a tremendous amount of newborn care information and resources, but I was able to ask any and all questions with a qualified professional in the comfort of my own home. Nurse Sandy spent as much time with us as we needed, was patient and caring, and gave us the support and validation we didn’t even know we needed. I truly can’t recommend Family Connects enough.”

-Zahra, mother of Zayn, Family Connects participant

History of Family Connects

The Family Connects model was developed in Durham, North Carolina and was born out of community need. In 2001, the Duke Endowment approached the director of the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy and challenged them to improve child outcomes and specifically to reduce childhood maltreatment and neglect in Durham. From that charge, the Durham Connects model was developed and it was piloted in 2008 with the goal of creating a replicable and sustainable model to be used in other communities.

The Durham Connects program was studied in two rigorous randomized controlled trials, the results of which have been published in highly-regarded journals including Pediatrics and the American Journal of Public Health. The evidence was clear, a universal nurse-home visiting program has significant impact on several outcomes.

Sources

[1] Dodge, K.A., Goodman, W.B., Murphy, R.A., O’Donnell, K., & Sato, J. (2013). Randomized controlled trial evaluation of universal postnatal nurse home visiting: Impacts on child emergency medical care at age 12- months [Special Issue]. Pediatrics, 132, S140-S146. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-1021M

[2] Goodman, W.B., Dodge, K.A., Bai, Y., O’Donnell, K. & Murphy, R.A. (2019). Randomized controlled trial of Family Connects: Effects on child emergency medical care from birth – 24 months. Development and Psychopathology, 31, 1863-1872. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579419000889

[3] Dodge, K.A., Goodman, W.B., Bai, Y., O’Donnell, K. & Murphy, R.A. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of a community agency-administered nurse home visitation program’s effects on program use and maternal and infant health outcomes. JAMA Network Open, 2(11), e1914522. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14522.

 

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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under MIECHV grant #24532533 awarded to United Way for Greater Austin. The total MIECHV grant is $1.2 Million which is matched by local dollars. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.