Nurse Family Partnership
Bright Start. Big Difference.
At Bright Start, we want every baby born to have the opportunity to thrive from the very beginning. We support expectant moms throughout their pregnancy and beyond, and help families create nurturing and healthy home environments.
We are here to help you make the best choices for you and your family, every step of the way, because a bright start can make a big difference in helping you be the best mom you want to be!
Children’s Home Society operates the Bright Start nurse family partnership in 13 South Dakota Counties. Bright Start is a program of the state Department of Health that pairs nurses with first-time mothers for up to two years to help families with the resources and knowledge to be healthy and happy.
Help for Mom
The Bright Start program is designed to help first-time expectant moms focus on their own health and well-being so they can have healthier babies.
Home visits are especially helpful for first-time moms! One of our highly trained nurses will visit you during your pregnancy to share information about nutrition, ongoing prenatal care, home safety, and creating a positive home environment. Visits may also include goal-setting, building support systems, and can even address child care options and job training.
Nurse home visits for first-time moms can begin anytime between the start of the pregnancy and two months after delivery. Once started, these visits can continue up to your child's second birthday.
Participation in Bright Start is voluntary and free. It is designed to fit varied schedules and allows for personal preferences and needs.
Help for Baby
Doing what is best for baby from the very beginning - that's a primary goal of Bright Start!
To help your baby, we offer you these services:
- Home visits
- Prenatal and maternal health assessments
- Health, safety, and nutrition education
- Infant/child health assessments
- Early childhood education
- Infant/child developmental assessments
- Parenting education
- Mental health services
- Special events, including Mom-Swap Rummage,
Easter Egg Hunt, and Christmas Party
Help for Families
Bright Start networks with other community agencies and can help link families with resources, including:
- Prenatal and postpartum medical care
- Pediatric medical care
- Family planning
- Early childhood programs
- Educational opportunities
- Substance abuse treatment
- Financial assistance
- Job training
- Housing
Helping First-Time Parents Succeed
Bright Start implements the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) model of nursing. NFP has been carefully tested during nearly 30 years of ongoing, longitudinal, randomized trails. These scientifically controlled studies have found consistent and dramatic benefits for first-time mothers and their children.
NFP focuses on accomplishing three goals:
- Improve pregnancy outcomes by helping women engage in preventative health practices, including obtaining thorough prenatal care from their healthcare providers, improving their diet, and reducing their use of cigarettes, alcohol, and illegal substances
- Improve child health and development by helping parents provide responsible and competent care for their children
- Improve economic self-sufficiency of the family by helping parents develop vision for their own future, plan future pregnancies, and continue their education
Outcomes include:
- Improved prenatal health
- Fewer childhood injuries
- Fewer subsequent pregnancies
- Increased intervals between births
- Increased maternal employment
- Improved school readiness
How Do I Sign Up?
Bright Start accepts referrals from individuals, health care providers, clinics and hospitals, schools and community agencies.
You can refer yourself!
Submit a referral form to start the process.
