State seeks $1.8 million to sustain universal nurse home visiting through mid-2027 while studying sustainability

Connecticut officials asked the Appropriations subcommittee for about $1.8 million to continue a universal nurse home visiting pilot through June 30, 2027, and to complete contracted studies on sustainability and outcomes.

The program—using the Family Connects model—offers one to three nurse visits to every family with a newborn at participating hospitals; Bridgeport Hospital’s rollout was cited as an example already in operation, and Norwich was named as the other initial site. Agency staff said the initiative is not income-restricted and is offered to every family giving birth at participating hospitals.

Officials said the funding supports a contract with the University of Massachusetts to study sustainability options and a contract with the PN-3 research center (Vanderbilt) to study outcomes such as emergency-room revisits and other cost impacts. The administration said the sustainability study will review potential billing strategies including Medicaid and private insurance to help support a statewide expansion.

Committee members asked about measurable outcomes and the timeline for results. Agency staff said preliminary outcomes and implementation findings may be available within a year, with fuller results to follow as the studies and data collection progress. Officials reported that about 1,000 families had received visits so far, though staff said they would provide a complete count of births, visits, and declinations.

Supporters on the committee emphasized the pilot’s potential to identify postpartum health needs and to route children and families to Birth-to-3 and community-based services earlier. The administration said the pilot is included in the governor’s proposed budget.

Ending: Officials said they would return outcome and sustainability study findings as they become available and provide more precise counts of families reached and contacts recorded under the pilot grant.