Denise Mills was scared when she found out she was pregnant with her first child, so she enrolled in the Nurse-Family Partnership program to help her prepare for motherhood. Now, the proud mom of two-year-old energetic Calvin, she credits the program with not only providing her with good parenting skills, but helping her become a better woman.

Denise, 28, enrolled into the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), a program for first-time moms in Duval County, in February 2012.  As part of the program, a specially-trained nurse visits with the mom in the home until their child is two.  The Nurse-Family Partnership is a national, evidence-based program proven to reduce low birth weight babies, infant mortality and maternal mortality.  There are currently 100 women enrolled in the program and out of the women enrolled in the program since 2012 there have been no infant deaths.

Denise feels that NFP helped her to be calm and realize that she was on the right track. NFP has taught her how and what she should do to help her son develop into a smart and happy individual. Denise also feels that NFP is not only a program but is considered a part of her life.

Denise is in a very good relationship with her son’s father and they are engaged to be married.  Denise is a huge supporter of breastfeeding — she breastfed her son Calvin for a full year and encourages her friends to breastfeed.  She is one of our Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition stars, we are so proud of her.  Denise and Calvin were a part of our first graduating NFP Class.

The Nurse-Family Partnership is administered by the Coalition, with services provided by the Florida Department of Health — Duval County and UF Health Jacksonville. It is funded through the Florida Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.