First Connections Information for Healthcare Providers

First Connections is a short-term home visiting program that serves pregnant women and families with young children statewide. The program focuses on improving the well-being of families with young children through home-based outreach. Home visits are free, voluntary, and confidential. As a healthcare provider, you play an important role in identifying and referring families who may benefit from First Connections home visits.

What We Do

We provide free, voluntary, confidential home visits to pregnant women and families with young children, birth to age three. (more)

What You Should Do

Talk to parents about First Connections

Offer the First Connections brochure to parents and explain the benefits of the First Connections Program. You can order free brochures online.

Offer to arrange a home visit for the parents

Anyone can arrange a home visit on behalf of a family. You may wish to refer children and their families to First Connections if:

• A child did not receive a newborn hearing screening or had an abnormal screening and needs to be retested.
• A parent has questions about his or her feelings, baby's care, or child's development.
• A family is interested in having their child receive a child wellness screening.
• A family needs help connecting to services in the community, such as child care, parenting classes, mental health services, or the WIC or SNAP programs.

Contact a First Connections provider to arrange a home visit

If the parents are interested in a home visit, call one of the four First Connections providers to make an appointment or fax over a referral form. You can order free referral pads online. Contact information for appointments is based on where the parents live. (more)

Remind parents that they can make a home visiting appointment at a later date

Home visiting is available at any time to all pregnant women and families with young children to age three.