Public Health expands Nurse-Family Partnership Program to Northern & Western zones

Nova Scotia Health Public Health is now accepting Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program referrals for clients in Northern and Western zones after having launched the program in Eastern Zone a little under a year ago.

The program now provides greater access to enhanced prenatal and postnatal support for more Nova Scotian families.

Nurse-Family Partnership is a free, voluntary home-visiting program that pairs a specially trained Public Health nurse with a person who is pregnant with their first child and could benefit from additional support. The partnership starts early in the pregnancy and continues until the child’s second birthday.

“This program helps break through the isolation of early parenthood by providing continued care, a safe space to talk, and specific support to families and their children,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “These specialized nurses can be a welcome addition to a new parent’s support system, helping them identify and achieve personal and parenting goals, and ensuring the next generation gets a healthy start.”

Nurse-Family Partnership is designed to help improve pregnancy outcomes and inequities, help children have positive health, growth, and development outcomes, and set families on the best path for a healthy and happy life. To accomplish these goals, the nurse works with the client and family, to identify their personal and parenting goals, to support the development of skills, and to move forward independently when the partnership is over.

Studies show that NFP reduces hospitalizations, emergency department visits, exposure to intimate partner violence, language delays, cultural barriers to access and inequities in care, behavioural and intellectual challenges, among other benefits.

Since it was launched in Eastern Zone last March, more than half of those eligible for the Nurse-Family Partnership Program have chosen to participate, and close to 200 home visits have been completed. Public Health is happy to expand NFP and enable more families to take advantage of this transformative and responsive program.

Pregnant people living in Eastern, Northern, or Western zones can contact Public Health Early Years directly to self-refer to NFP. They can also be referred by a healthcare provider, community organization, or school-based program.

Additional information is available at www.nshealth.ca/NFP.

Contact your local Early Years program:

Eastern Zone

Cape Breton, Guysborough, Antigonish
902-867-2056/1-833-889-0114 (Toll Free)
NFP.EZ@nshealth.ca

Northern Zone
Colchester-East Hants, Cumberland, Pictou
902-667-3319
nzeynurses@nshealth.ca

Western Zone
Annapolis Valley, South Shore, South West Nova Scotia
1-833-601-0949 (Toll Free)
earlyyearswz@nshealth.ca

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