Becoming a mom for the first time can be overwhelming. In fact, a study conducted by ForbesWoman and the pregnancy website TheBump.com revealed 92 percent of working moms and 89 percent of stay-at-home mothers felt overwhelmed by work, home and parenting responsibilities.
The Oklahoma City-County Health Department has developed a program to try to ease the burden and help first-time moms make sound decisions for the future of their children. The program is called Children First and was developed as part of a national evidence-based public health program known as the Nurse-Family Partnership. This program has been helping transform the lives of first time mothers in Oklahoma for more than a decade.
Children First partners first-time mothers with a specially trained registered nurse who will provide brief health assessments, growth/development assessments for infants, case management services and health education centered around the mother’s needs and desires. Services are provided in the convenience of the home. Visits begin while you are pregnant and continue until your child’s second birthday. The visit schedule can be tailored to meet your needs. You and your nurse will agree on the day and time of each visit. Program outcomes include an infant mortality rate that is half the state rate.
To enroll in the program, you should be less than 29 weeks pregnant, expecting your first child and meet income eligibility criteria.
Enrolled families receive the following services at no cost:
- Brief health assessments
- Child growth and development evaluations
- Nutrition education
- Parenting and relationship information
- Links to other services such as child care, education, and job training
Here's how you can enroll in this program:
You may fill out a Referral Form and submit it online. For questions, please call (405) 419-4106, or you may email us at C1Referral@occhd.org.
*Services are not intended to replace your health care provider or family doctor.
