Family Connects New Orleans: Home Visits Bridge Postpartum Care Gap

Family Connects New Orleans (FCNO) provides up to three free in-home nurse visits to parents of newborns up to 12 weeks old. Eligibility is limited to Orleans Parish residents who deliver at Touro Hospital or Ochsner Baptist, regardless of insurance status or income. The pilot launched in August 2023 and includes clinical checks, medication reminders, breastfeeding support, mental-health screening, and referrals to community resources.

The Guardian

In 2021, 43.3 % of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States occurred within six weeks after delivery, underscoring a critical postpartum gap. Louisiana’s hospital-based protocols address hemorrhage and hypertension, but community-based support for the early weeks at home has been sparse. The Family Connects model originated in Durham, North Carolina, in 2008 and now operates in several states, including North and South Carolina, Arkansas, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas.

The Guardian

• Amber Leduff, mother of newborn Autumn and FCNO participant.

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• Jennifer Avegno, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services, New Orleans.

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• Meshawn Siddiq, Director of Family Health and Wellbeing, city health department.

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• Melissa Goldin Evans, Assistant Professor, Tulane School of Public Health, study collaborator.

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• City-employed nurses who conduct the home visits.

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FCNO’s schedule typically begins with a first visit around week 3, followed by up to two additional visits. Program evaluations report reductions in Medicaid spending for mothers and infants nine months after delivery. The city funded the initial pilot; discussions are now underway to secure state Medicaid and commercial-insurance reimbursement.

The Guardian

Deputy Mayor Avegno stressed that the early postpartum period often coincides with the lowest resource availability, and that FCNO fills a void not covered by WIC or Healthy Start. Siddiq noted that families frequently conceal medication-affordability issues during prenatal care, leading to untreated conditions that FCNO can address. Goldin Evans highlighted maternal mental health as a major risk factor for postpartum morbidity and mortality, describing the nurse visits as a preventive touchpoint before routine six-week checkups.

The Guardian

City officials acknowledge that FCNO is not a long-term solution and does not replace essential post-birth appointments such as the six-week pediatric and maternal checkup. Coverage is limited to Orleans Parish residents delivering at two hospitals, leaving nearby communities without access. Comprehensive long-term outcome data beyond nine months remain unavailable.

The Guardian

Amber Leduff reported that the nurse’s portable weight scale allowed her to monitor Autumn’s growth between pediatric visits. She described the nurse as “very engaging,” addressing both infant health and parental well-being, and noted that the visit prompted her to share information about other city services with family members.

The Guardian

The sources present consistent figures on postpartum mortality and Medicaid cost reductions; however, they lack comparative data on health outcomes for families not enrolled in FCNO and do not quantify the program’s impact on maternal mortality rates.

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• “She checked on the baby, talked to me and my husband about our specific needs and how I’m actually doing,” — Amber Leduff, mother

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• “The benefit of it is giving moms, whether you’re first time or not, whether it’s your second or third child – you always get that peace of mind when someone comes and just answers any questions you have,” — Amber Leduff

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• “You go, you have your delivery, you’re in the hospital and everything is there. You go home, there’s a bit of a honeymoon period, and then, for many women, you fall off a cliff,” — Jennifer Avegno, Deputy Mayor

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• “We found that what that does is build trust in the healthcare system,” — Jennifer Avegno

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• “They wouldn’t tell the provider that they couldn’t afford the medications, so you have very sick patients going to their prenatal appointment and not getting the support that they need,” — Meshawn Siddiq, Director

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• “We know that maternal mental health is a major risk factor for maternal morbidity and mortality, in the postpartum period, specifically,” — Melissa Goldin Evans, Tulane professor

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The city plans to expand FCNO’s monthly maternal support groups and is negotiating state-level Medicaid and commercial-insurance coverage to sustain and broaden the program. Ongoing research aims to track health outcomes beyond nine months to assess long-term effectiveness.

The Guardian