The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) announced that it has expanded the Family Connects NJ (FCNJ) program, the state’s Universal Nurse Home Visiting initiative, to six additional counties, extending services to more families welcoming home newborns.
The expansion adds coverage in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Monmouth and Salem counties. With the latest rollout, the program is now available across all of South Jersey and most of Central and North Jersey. State officials said the program is on track to reach statewide implementation next year.
Family Connects NJ offers a voluntary, free home visit from a specially trained registered nurse or advanced practice nurse within two weeks of a newborn’s arrival. The visits include health screenings for both parent and baby, education on newborn care, and referrals to community resources when needed.
Since its launch in January 2024, nurses have completed nearly 9,000 home visits, according to DCF. The program is already operating in Bergen, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Sussex counties.
Governor Mikie Sherrill said the expansion is intended to improve access to early postpartum care and support maternal and infant health outcomes.
“Ensuring that our families, particularly our mothers, receive the medical care they need is a top priority for my Administration,” Sherrill said. “We know that the early days are critical for both moms and newborns, and having access to timely medical care can have a significant positive impact on their long-term health and well-being.”
DCF Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer said recent evaluation data shows high satisfaction among participating families and positive feedback on nurse support.
“The most recent evaluation data gathered in partnership with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health showed that participants reported high satisfaction with the nurse providers and felt their health and concerns were made a priority,” Beyer said.
The program is open to all families with newborns, including those through birth, adoption, resource placement, or kinship placement. FCNJ also provides services to families experiencing stillbirth or neonatal loss.
State officials pointed to ongoing challenges in maternal and infant health as a key driver of the program’s expansion. According to the Department of Health’s Maternal Health Hospital Report Card, 86.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in New Jersey were determined to be preventable. The data also showed significant racial disparities, with pregnancy-related mortality rates 7.6 times higher for Black, non-Hispanic women and 2.7 times higher for Hispanic women compared with white, non-Hispanic women.
DCF Assistant Commissioner Sanford Starr said the program plays a role in addressing preventable outcomes by reaching families directly in their homes.
“The program’s effectiveness is centered in the fact that we meet families where they are — in their own homes — and at a time when health complications can unexpectedly arise,” Starr said.
During home visits, nurses assess the health of the birthing parent and newborn, provide guidance on breastfeeding, sleep, and newborn care, and connect families to medical or community services when concerns are identified.
Program Director Brandie Wooding said first-year evaluation data showed that nurses identified serious postpartum health concerns in 14% of visited families that required immediate medical attention. Updated 2025 data shows that figure has increased to 18%, including referrals for elevated blood pressure, infections, infant weight concerns, and postpartum mental health issues.
DCF officials said testimonials from families and providers continue to highlight cases in which nurses identified urgent medical conditions and facilitated rapid care.
Commissioner Beyer said the program is intended to serve as a key component of New Jersey’s postpartum care system.
“FCNJ continues to be a key part of the postpartum continuum of care, ensuring that both mom and baby are doing well, and when that’s not the case, connecting families immediately to appropriate medical follow-up,” Beyer said.