Family Connects

Trenton Health Team is partnering with Family Connects to plan for free, in-home nurse visits for new families in Mercer County regardless of income or insurance status, thanks to support from The Burke Foundation.

Family Connects builds on THT’s ongoing work to improve maternal and child health, including convening a group of area stakeholders involved in this work to address challenges and opportunities in a coordinated, comprehensive manner.

Two-thirds of infant deaths occur within 28 days of birth, according to THT’s 2019 Community Health Needs and Assets report. In Mercer County, the infant mortality rate is 7.0 infant deaths per 1,000 live births–exceeding both state and national rates (4.1 and 5.9).

Family Connects, International, based in Durham, NC, is an evidence-based model including a clinical and social assessment, referral to appropriate services, such as pediatric care, lactation support, social services, behavioral health services, and more. Researchers have found that by the time a baby was six months old, participating families had enhanced connections to community resources, positive parenting skills, less maternal anxiety and fewer emergency room visits.

The Burke Foundation invests in transformative early childhood initiatives to build a cycle of opportunity across generations.