News

A community health programme in the US is asking residents for donations of new baby gifts in conjunction with a local banking chain.

By James Tweedie

The Rock County Health Department in the mid-western state of Wisconsin teamed up with the Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, better known as M&I Bank in September to collect supplies for new parents in the southern state line area as part of its Healthy Families First programme.

Healthy Families First provides in-home nursing services to pregnant women and families with babies less than one year old, similar to NHS health visitors in the UK.

The service is free to all families, regardless of income

M&I Bank took donations of new baby gifts for the programme at each of its eight branches in Beloit, Janesville, Edgerton and Evansville throughout the month of September.

The items needed included nappies, blankets, disposable cameras, digital thermometers, bath kits, safety latches and outlet covers, baby rattles, teething rings and baby spoons and cups.

Sancee Siebold, nursing supervisor for the Rock County Health Department's south office, explained that the programme provided new parents with education and guidance to help care for infants, in addition to periodic check-ups to assess their children's development.

Nurses from the programme also cooperate with doctors and parents to ensure that the mums and dads are healthy and coping with the strains of parenthood.

“It is just kind of a good support system,” Ms Siebold said.

She added that the programme provides vital in-home nursing services to families who are pregnant or parenting infants who are less than a year old.

There are no income guidelines to govern who receives the vital services and the nursing home visits are free of cost to the family.

The visiting nurses answer parent questions and help the family feel better connected with the community.

Ms Siebold said that many nurses in the programme enjoyed helping the new families out.

Rock County Health Department northern office director of nursing Janet Zoellner said:“Nurse visits are a core service of the Rock County Health Department because we know their benefits last a lifetime.

“M&I Bank is helping get the word out about the great work our nurses do, and this initiative will provide gifts and incentives to help our families in a very practical way as they learn how to get their baby off to a safe and healthy start.”

Baby Gifts