Maryland hearing spotlights push for universal newborn nurse home visits to reduce maternal and infant harms

Delegate Ken Kurt, sponsor of House Bill 334, told the House Health and Government Operations Committee on Jan. 23 that he wants Maryland to plan for universally offered newborn nurse home visits and insurance coverage for the service.

Kurt said the bill would direct the Maryland Department of Health to create a plan to offer a nurse home visit to every family with a newborn, noting the visits would be voluntary and that some local pilots already exist. "The nurse is not the newborn," Kurt said, explaining the program pairs a trained registered nurse with families to assess infant and parental health, link families to services and reduce stigma by offering the visit to all families.

Advocates and local officials described Frederick County’s Family Connects pilot as evidence the model can detect and address urgent clinical needs after hospital discharge. Former Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner, who helped…