For first-time mothers, pregnancy and childbirth can trigger a wide range of emotions, from excitement and joy to anxiety and fear. Weld County resident Chelbey (pronounced SHEL-bee) Gartner found herself struggling with the latter when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

 "It was kind of scary," Gartner said. "I had just gotten a job that I really liked for the first time ever and was living with a friend. I was working and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with schooling, but then I ended up pregnant with my baby."

Gartner, now 29 with a happy and healthy baby boy named Declan, learned of the Weld County Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program during her pregnancy while she was on Medicaid.

"I needed as much support as I could get," Gartner admitted. "I didn't know anything about parenting, so just the fact that (nurses) would work with me while I was pregnant to prepare for what to expect, and that I could work with the same nurse up until my baby turns two, sounded really nice."

The Weld County NFP program operates on a simple yet powerful premise: pairing first-time, lower-resourced families with specially trained nurses who provide home visits throughout pregnancy and early childhood. These nurses offer guidance, education, and support to expectant mothers, like Gartner, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to nurture their own health and that of their babies.

"In Weld County, we're staffed with seven nurses and funded to serve 150 families at a time," said Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment (WCDPHE) program coordinator Dana Garvey. "Our nurses provide home visitation services to first-time families throughout the pregnancy and up until the child's second birthday."

Founded on the principles of evidence-based practice, the NFP program brings together multiple stakeholders — from nurses and new mothers to community organizations and government agencies — to foster an environment where families thrive. Starting from the various organizations and agencies that refer expectant mothers to the program, to acting as liaisons between families and obstetricians, pediatricians, and other health care professionals, NFP nurses ensure parents, and their children receive the necessary screenings, vaccinations, and treatments to support optimal health outcomes and build a network of support that extends far beyond the duration of the program.

At the heart of the NFP program are the partnerships between nurses and families. Nurses, serving as trusted mentors, offer guidance on a wide range of topics, including prenatal care, child development, and parenting skills.

"We partner in a lot of different ways," Garvey said. "When client needs arise, we connect them with the appropriate community resource — like WIC, Early Intervention, United Way, the food bank. We're not proprietary here in Weld. There's a collaborative understanding amongst the groups we work with that if families need services, let's find them the right one.”

Through the NFP and its resources, Gartner gained confidence in her skills through knowledge and trust, something fostered by her WCDPHE NFP nurse, Nicole Albrook. She credits Albrook and the NFP program for empowering her to navigate the complexities of motherhood, which ranged from medical advice about Declan’s development, to receiving information about assistance programs and daycare applications. There were even discussions on how to help Gartner reach her long-term personal goals. Gartner said this wholistic approach has provided reassurance throughout her son’s early development.

“She doesn't just want to know about Declan, she asks about what's going on with me too, which is really nice,” Gartner said.  I have someone to talk to about all the stuff I'm going through, too.”

"I think building trust comes from spending more time with them," Albrook explained. "A doctor is in and out in 15 minutes, and a lot of patients feel like they have all these questions they would like to ask. We're there for about an hour, sometimes an hour and a half at a time. We sit down and talk. They're the expert in their own life, and we're their advocate and partner."

Since the inception of the NFP program in the United States in the 1970s, participants in the program have experienced fewer preterm births, reduced instances of child abuse and neglect, and improved cognitive development in their children.

A positive impact has also been seen in Weld County. In 2023 alone, WCDPHE NFP nurses performed 1,675 home visits, and in that time, the rate of premature births of those in the NFP program was 8.5%, two percentage points lower than the national average.  The rate of breastfeeding at birth was over 96% compared to a 40% national average.

Beyond the immediate medical benefits, the NFP program yields other long-term benefits, including increased maternal employment, higher educational attainment and reduced reliance on public assistance. NFP ensures that families have the knowledge and ability to access ongoing support and resources even after the program concludes.

NFP nurses partner with families during a time of transition," Garvey said. “This can be very impactful, as first-time parents are in a readiness stage for change. People generally parent how they’ve been parented. The interventions, education, and therapeutic relationship NFP nurses provide have the power to influence not just one family, but generations of that family. That’s one of the strengths of the NFP program.”

Despite the challenges of single parenthood and the occasional sleepless nights with Declan, through her partnership with Albrook and other nurses in the NFP, Gartner finds solace in knowing that she isn’t alone on her parenting journey.

"It's just nice to know that I have someone in my corner," she said.

It’s in that stability Gartner’s fear has turned into confidence. With Declan's first birthday approaching, she celebrates not only his milestones but also the milestones of her own growth and new possibilities for the future — one that’s been made stronger by the NFP program.

Weld County Government works with municipalities in various ways, but one of the most important and impactful is through their partnership in planning for growth, as Weld County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. So, what does growth look like in Weld County, and how exactly does the Planning Department work with municipalities? Find out in the next edition of County Roots.