KING COUNTY, WA - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County is hosting a kick-off event at Valley Medical Center in Renton for "Best Beginnings," a nurse home visiting program for first-time mothers and their families in Renton, Kent and Auburn.

"This program is an exciting addition to our efforts in promoting community-based public health," said Dr. Plough, Director for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We're taking the best in evidence-based practice and putting it into action for the benefit of young mothers and their families."

The Nurse Family Partnership will provide intensive home visiting services to 100 first time mothers less than 21 years old and their families.

Specifically, a team of four Public Health Nurses will follow 25 families each. Young mothers are recruited at or before 26 weeks of pregnancy, and followed until the child is two years old.

The mothers will be offered an average of two home visits per month, with weekly visits for the first six weeks of enrollment and the first six weeks after the baby is born. In addition to the nursing home visits, community based services, including mental health services will be provided to assist the mothers to meet their goals.

"Initial research studies indicate that this intensive home visiting model leads to several positive outcomes for the child and the family," said Plough.

Benefits included a reduction in maternal behavioral problems due to drugs or alcohol, fewer ER visits for childhood injuries, a reduction and/or delay of subsequent pregnancies. In addition, adolescent children born to mothers while they were enrolled in the program had fewer arrests and convictions.