By JOHN DAVID ARCH
COMMERCE INTERN
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is one of the oldest and most thoroughly evaluated nurse home visitation programs in the nation. Through regular in-home visits, nurses work with enrolled mothers to improve maternal health and promote healthy child development. They support mothers with issues such as continuing school, finding work or establishing adequate housing.
NFP program officials are shown (left-right) including Tricia Carver, nurse home visitor; Mary “Elaine” Lakey, nurse home visitor; Sheena Kanott, program administrator; Candy Martin, administrative assistant/data clerk; and Rhonda “Beth” McCoy, nurse supervisor. (J.D. ARCH/Commerce Intern)
Home visits start early in pregnancy and continues until the child’s second birthday. The program also encourages participation from fathers and other members of the family.
Sheena Kanott, EBCI NFP administrator, will lead the team of NFP nurses to reach EBCi tribal members in Cherokee, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, and Swain counties.
Principal Chief Michell Hicks said, “Our community understands that investing in our most vulnerable families will only give us a brighter future. We are proud of our heritage, and a large part of that is taking care of each other.”
David Olds, Ph. D., the program’s visionary and creator said, ”I expect that the Cherokee community, already tight-knit, will become even stronger with the early-life intervention that Nurse-Family Partnership provides.”
Across the state, NFP programs serve families in Buncombe, Cleveland, Columbus, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Halifax, Hertford, Gaston, Guilford, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Pitt, Polk, Robeson, Rutherford, and Wake counties.
