New Orleans is reviving the practice of home health visits by launching Family Connects New Orleans, a program that sends registered nurses to visit new mothers and babies in their homes. Eligible families who give birth in a New Orleans hospital can receive up to three free home visits during the first months of life, regardless of insurance status or income level. Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the city’s health director, introduced the program locally in 2023, describing it as going “back to the future.”
Program Operations and Early Impact
The visiting nurses arrive with supplies including diapers and nipple cream, weigh and measure babies, examine newborns, and check mothers’ health and well-being. They also assess family needs, offer referrals to other city programs, and ask about food security and gun storage. Early data analyzed by researchers at Tulane University found that families receiving visits were more likely to follow the recommended schedule of pediatric and postpartum checkups, and were less likely to need hospitalization. Overall healthcare spending was down among families insured by Medicaid. Research on Family Connects programs elsewhere showed similar results, with one North Carolina study demonstrating a 50% reduction in emergency room visits in the year before a baby turned one.
Postpartum Depression Screening and State Support
The program has shown particular promise in screening for postpartum depression. About 10% of mothers participating were eventually diagnosed with postpartum depression, compared to 6% of mothers who did not receive visits. Early diagnosis is critical to prevent depression from worsening or leading to suicidal thoughts or problems bonding with infants. The program costs the city approximately $1.5 million annually, or $700 per birth. However, research from North Carolina’s program found that every $1 invested saved $3.17 in healthcare costs before the child turned two. In 2025, Louisiana’s Republican-dominated legislature passed a law requiring private insurance plans to cover the visits, and state lawmakers are advocating to include the program in Louisiana’s Medicaid program, which covers more than 60% of births.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/20/nx-s1-5662752/new-orleans-newborn-house-call-family-connects-maternal-mortality