For Providers

Why It Works

Family Connects International (FCI) offers this evidence-based, population-health model that pairs engagement and alignment of community-service providers with a nurse-delivered family check-up in the home. Through Family Connects Pierce County, every family has access to a free visit from a registered nurse. Visits are completely voluntary and there are no eligibility requirements when fully implemented. FCI-trained, culturally responsive registered nurses visit any new family who desires it, providing health check-ups and comprehensive assessments. Nurses are trained to build trust, offer supportive guidance, and navigate difficult situations. FCI provides the assessments, screening tools, and a data system that nurses use to link families with a direct connection to the specific community services that meet their individual needs and preferences.

The newborns’ primary caregivers, including foster and adoptive parents, are offered a Family Connects visit around three weeks after the baby’s birth, and families may receive up to three total visits in the first twelve weeks of life. This invitation is extended in the hospital by one of our Program Specialists or nurses, or the family may be reached via phone. Families of newborns may also learn of the program via other channels, such as pediatricians, OB-GYNs, and community agencies.

Our aim is to create systems change at the population level — to advance the well being of all children and their families. We work to:

• Ensure that families have a medical home

• Provide physical- and mental-health screenings

• Assess family strengths and needs comprehensively

• Connect families to community resources that support their individual family needs and preferences

In some cases, the nurse recommends longer-term home visiting programs such as Early Head Start. This makes Family Connects an excellent pathway to attain more family support services.