Katie: Giving Newborns "A Good Start"
(CBS)
Every day in this country, over 2,000 babies are born into poverty. For their mothers – often very young themselves – the prospect of parenthood can seem scary and overwhelming, especially if they’re facing it alone. As a single parent myself, I know first-hand how challenging it can be raising children without a second parent, as invested in a child’s future as you are. I know it must be that much harder for those who are financially strapped and don’t have an adequate support system.
But the Nurse-Family Partnership is lightening the load by sending registered nurses out to visit first-time mothers in high-risk, low-income households. For the thousands of moms in the program, that friendly knock at the door means help has arrived. Sure, they’re health professionals. But the NFP nurses wear many more hats than the one that used to be worn by Florence Nightingale. One young mother I met in Brooklyn, New York for tonight's story told me her nurse was the closest thing she had to the mother she lost as a child. These nurses supply advice, but also friendship, comfort and confidence.
This program wasn’t created by a philanthropist or a politician. It was created by a psychologist -- one who grew up in poverty. David Olds came from a broken home, but dedicated his life to fixing thousands of others’. Ask David what he calls the 30-plus years he’s spent refining the Nurse-Family Partnership into the success story it is today, and he’ll say, “It’s a good start.”
And that’s what a countless number of newborns have, thanks to him.
The kind of therapy you need is not found in the comments section of a blog. Seek out your local mental health facility and turn yourself in.
Sounds like you are describing one of the negative directions that single motherhood can take. The Nurse-Family Partnership strives to prevent exactly what you seem to have experienced, that of a mother who does not value the involvement and support of the father. In fact, some of the goals of the NFP program are designed to avoid much of what you describe. The NFP program promotes life course development of the mother, which can result in advancement beyond welfare when the mother gains job skills.
Be sure to look into the evidenced-based Nurse-Family Partnership program before offering negative judgments. It can make a big difference in the lives of families and communities.
- staff member of Nurse-Family Partnership
It is important for the child to have the second part of the whole. Without the two, poor black male children have a much lower success rate in life than the white males.
I would like to see you do a segment on the fathers side. Its important to see both side of the picture. Something need to be done to complete the circle in a positive direction.
Thanks.
Jessie Reed
What you are demonstrating, is that the anchor person of a large news organization can make a difference.
A huge difference in what we pay attention to on a daily basis...in a world that is exploding with information, and overwhelming our ability to pay attention.
That is something you have brought to CBS news.
The sharing of just a fews things, a few good people, who today made a difference, a positive one, in the world aroung them.
Whatever your viewer ratings were today.
For those of us who read and listening to this story.
You made a positive difference.
Thanks.
no market share
millions babies and small children fed or feeding in u.s. peaces
no market share
babies and small children have no place in market share
no market share
millions babies and small children suffer abuse for being naked lazy profane ignorant
no market share
millions babies and small children rewarded and adored for not being naked lazy profane ignorant
no market share
censor babies and small children!!!
free the press!!
Can welfare queens be reformed? I don't know. Not with their child in their hands, that is for sure. The child is a hostage -- I was one too, so the shame is on her, not on me. Just because a mother is incapable, this program shouldn't be trying to replace fathers, and certainly not blatantly pushing a sick feminist agenda.
If NFP really cared about children, they would consult with both parents, not just one. There is no "one hand clapping", there is a father, so find him! Using our tax dollars to encourage this one-parent illness is simply a way to reward mothers who profit from child abduction.
I am a nurse in this program and just want the public to know that the fathers are included in the program if they so desire. We actually highly encourage the fathers to be a part of the program. We also give printed information for the fathers to read whether they attend the visits or not. The mothers are the main focus because what they do (diet, smoking, drugs) directly affects the infant before birth. They are also the one actually birthing the infant and bonding issues are discussed during the pregnancy. Breastfeeding is also encouraged since this is the superior food source for a human infant. Unfortunately, fathers are unable to breastfeed. Also unfortunately, the guys often drop out of the picture when they find out the girl is pregnant. (They want the *** but not the responsibility.)
Most of all you missed the whole point of Dr. Olds' program. This program is designed to encourage mothers to get an education and get good jobs or at least be gainfully employed if they don't pursue an education after high school. His program is focused on breaking the welfare/poverty/drugs cycle. You should go to the Nurse-Family Partnership website to become informed.
It is incredibly good that this program encourages the mother's health, etc., but that does not excuse ignoring the necessity of fathers. You can take their money for your programs, and try to excuse the abduction of his child, and suddenly it is still his fault. The radical feminist agenda has failed my generation. I am here saying it didn't work. Deliberate single mothering is violence.
There are plenty of ways you folks could help them get the father in the child's life, and talking to him like he is a criminal is not one of them. We do not need another generation of children psychologically damaged by feminist handiwork. The welfare/poverty/drugs cycle you mention has one big risk factor -- the absence of the father. Two parents are a necessity.
I am sick to hear of your being abused as a child, especially at the hands of the very adults that have the ultimate authority and responsibility for protecting the child.
I believe the CBS coverage inadvertently missed the full description of NFP. NFP works with the whole family, including the father of the child. The only time NFP doesn%u2019t recommend the father's involvement is when the father is abusive to the mother or the child. If mothers arbuse their children, NFP would take action in protecting the child, immediately reporting the incident to Child Protective Services.
Folks in the child abuse prevention field have found that mother's and other family members visited in the home prior to the birth of the first child is the most effective way of REDUCING the very abuse you suffered as a child. Please help other kids by advocating to prevent child abuse.
There has been decades worth of false claims that the system (divorce, domestic laws, etc.) has "reformed" to include fathers, when really it hasn't moved one inch from pure radical feminism. It is wise to know exactly what our tax dollars are paying for.
Nurse Family Partnership.
I am a nurse home visitor and we advocate for father involvement at our visits.
Our goal is for healthier families.
Thanks for making the public more aware of the benefits of the Nurse Family Partnership in American society. I have been a nurse home visitor for the program for over 6 years. And I can say that Dr Olds has definitely done his research to help improve the lives of newborns, new moms, new dads and the family as a whole.
I have definitely seen the impact of the program with my own clients. Thank you for focusing on this topic for your program.
Kathy in Colorado
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by chrisja11
August 8, 2007 2:12 PM PDT
- Home visiting is finally receiving some much deserved attention as a viable support to young families. As part of our work in the child abuse prevention field, we've been investing in these programs for nearly 25 years (although on a small scale with a small budget). This year, Washington State determined to invest $3.5 million in evidence-based home visiting programs like the Nurse Family Partnership. We have seen how incredible these programs are at working with families to promote positive parenting skills as well as prevent child abuse and neglect. In addition, many of these programs also show their worth in the other outcomes that are achieved including increased school readiness, vaccination rates and literacy skills in children. It's high time that we started investing in family success right from the beginning instead of waiting until they fail.
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