Nadia Kallmer
Jan 26, 2026
This program, Family Connects New Orleans, sends registered nurses to visit the homes of families with new children, and has numerous benefits for both the newborn and its caretaker.
A new program has been initiated in New Orleans (1), which hopes to relieve some stress for new moms and families in the city. House calls, which registered nurses and other certified medics respond to, are key in helping out with the various tasks required to take care of newborns. This program was motivated by high rates of infant mortality.
One example of these moms is Lisa Bonfield, who according to NPR (article linked below), “was eligible for up to three of these home visits from Family Connects New Orleans, a program of the city health department,” due to the recent birth of her baby, Adele.
It was found that moms who received these visits were more likely to go to postpartum checkups routinely during the months after the birth.
While this program would aid any family, it is especially helpful for families who have just had their first child or single parents who need extra assistance. Variations of this program have been tried in other states as well.
This program is beneficial to the physical and mental wellbeing of moms and families with newborns, helps families save money, and is a sign of hope that maternal and infant care is on an upwards swing.
This article was adapted from NPR’s New Orleans brings back the house call, sending nurses to visit newborns and moms by Rosemary Westwood.
Westwood, Rosemary. “New Orleans Brings Back the House Call, Sending Nurses to Visit Newborns and Moms.” NPR, 20 Jan. 2026, www.npr.org/2026/01/20/nx-s1-5662752/new-orleans-newborn-house-call-family-connects-maternal-mortality.