The 15th anniversary of the Berrien County Health Department’s Nurse-Family Partnership is being marked this month. Program Supervisor Cheryl Bury says it pairs up low income, first time mothers with registered nurses who help them ensure they have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Since 2000, the Nurse-Family Partnership has made a difference in Berrien County.
“The premature rate, babies born to moms who participate in this program is lower than the state average,” Bury told WSJM. “We have immunization rates of children of age two that are higher than the statistics overall for age two within the county.”
Bury says the Nurse Family Partnership was brought to the county after a coalition of civic leaders, educators, health officials, and faith based groups got together to try to find a way of reducing Berrien County’s high infant mortality rate. It’s served over 800 families, and is one of nine such programs in Michigan.
