Governor Mikie Sherrill is proposing a significant expansion of maternal and infant health funding in New Jersey’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget, with a central focus on scaling up the state’s Family Connects NJ program and addressing persistent disparities in maternal outcomes.
The proposed budget includes nearly $49 million to expand Family Connects NJ, a universal nurse home visitation program that offers free in-home support to families with newborns. The program, launched in 2024, allows trained registered nurses to conduct health screenings, provide guidance, and connect families with community resources in the weeks following birth. State officials say the program has already served more than 10,000 families as of January 2026.
Under the proposal, Family Connects NJ would expand to the remaining counties of Union, Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren by January 2027, completing a statewide rollout. If implemented, New Jersey would become the first state in the country to offer universal, free nurse home visits to all new families.
The funding push comes as state officials continue to highlight stark disparities in maternal health outcomes. Data from the New Jersey Maternal Mortality Review Committee shows that pregnancy-related mortality for Black, non-Hispanic women is 7.6 times higher than for white, non-Hispanic women, while Hispanic women face rates 2.7 times higher. Officials say expanding access to early postpartum care is a key strategy in addressing those gaps.
Early results from Family Connects NJ suggest the program may play a critical role in identifying health risks. A first-year evaluation found that nurses detected serious postpartum health concerns in 18 percent of home visits that required attention before a scheduled medical appointment. With Medicaid coverage in New Jersey extended to 365 days postpartum, those interventions can lead to earlier treatment and improved outcomes for both mothers and infants.
Beyond Family Connects NJ, the proposed FY2027 budget outlines a broader investment in maternal and infant health infrastructure. This includes $37.5 million for maternal, child, and chronic health services, $5.22 million for the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority Fund, and additional funding for data collection and oversight efforts, including the Maternal Mortality Review Committee and a statewide birth defects registry.
The budget also allocates $1.125 million for workforce development to expand the perinatal care workforce, along with funding to support maternal health data systems and quality-of-care feedback initiatives. Smaller allocations are designated for breastfeeding promotion and maintaining maternal health reporting systems.