Breastfeeding offers unmatched health benefits for both babies and mothers, supporting lifelong wellness and emotional connection. In Delaware, rates remain below the national average, making community support and accessible resources essential to help more families succeed.

By Emily A. Thompson  The charge of MSHAC is to plan how to better serve individuals and families affected by a substance use disorder through a multiagency approach. Meeting agenda topics have included sharing resources and educational materials, providing updates from local treatment providers, coordinating services and referrals, offering guidance on using the DFS reporting[…..]

By Melissa Pitts, Tapp Network The Delaware Family Support Hub continues to grow, with new tools and features being added regularly to support the Home Visiting Program and Family Support Specialists. The Delaware Family Support Hub mobile app is now available in the Apple App Store for iPhones and iPads and Google Play Store for Android[…..]

By Emily A. Thompson We’re pleased to share an important resource available to your postpartum patients and clients enrolled in Delaware Medicaid. Delaware’s Postpartum Nutrition Program offers healthy, fully prepared meals delivered to a new mother’s home for up to 12 weeks after birth, at no cost to eligible members. This service helps support healing, nourishment, and[…..]

By Jen Ettinger Elise Harry brings over a decade of experience in case management and advocacy to her role at Quality Insights. She previously served as a victim advocate and an HIV medical case manager, supporting individuals and families through complex health and social challenges. Elise is passionate about building relationships and driving meaningful improvements[…..]

By Asaiah Fisher In each issue of the Thrive Quarterly Newsletter, we’ll highlight one of the 10 domains from the National Family Support Competency Framework. This issue features Domain 1: Infant and Early Childhood Development, which focuses on supporting the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth of young children — one of the most vital aspects of home[…..]

By Asaiah Beaman Fisher (Home Visiting Training and Support Coordinator) As part of our continued efforts to support Delaware’s home visiting professionals, Prevent Child Abuse Delaware is excited to offer several dynamic training sessions this spring and summer! Four-Part Virtual Series on Substance Use 🗓️ June 5, 2025 | 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Explore the[…..]

By Emily A. Thompson The Home Visiting Community Advisory Board met on April 7 in Dover. A wide range of updates were shared, including exciting progress across several initiatives supporting Delaware families. Key updates included: The IECMH Consultation pilot was completed, and there are plans to expand the model. Progress has also been made on[…..]

By Vik Vishnubhakta As we get into spring and summer, the MIECHV team will be carrying out multiple initiatives to improve data collection and reporting. In particular, the MIECHV team will be working with each local implementing agency (LIA) on quality assurance — that is, identifying what demographic, service utilization, and performance measures have considerable[…..]

By Asia Summers The Healthy Families Delaware team is thrilled to announce the newest addition, Angela Bravo-Vazquez, who joins as a Family Support/Resource Specialist in New Castle County. With a wealth of experience and a passion for helping families navigate challenges, Angela is a perfect fit for the program. Angela brings extensive experience in family[…..]

By Liset Villalobos In April, our NCC nurses represented the Nurse-Family Partnership and attended two community events. The first event, on April 15, was the Delaware First Health Baby Shower. Our nurses, not pictured, Agnes Kimani and Sara Rey-Gonzalez, attended this wonderful event and were able to obtain a referral who has recently enrolled in[…..]

By Noelle Bartkowski PAT New Castle County recently completed the Quality Endorsement and Improvement Process through PAT National. Group Connections have been busy! The whole team was involved and is looking forward to receiving the Blue Ribbon in October. Families are coming out weekly for fun and an opportunity to build social skills. Families value[…..]

By Noelle Bartkowski PAT NCC is preparing to close out this program year and gear up for 2025-2026. Recently, Tamara Hackett-Swain and Krystal Grubjesic traveled to Legislative Hall to witness and celebrate the proclamation and resolution recognizing National Home Visiting Week in the state of Delaware. Krystal Grubjesic and Barbara Berganzo will present at the[…..]

By Marneda Bailey On March 20, the Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy hosted the Delaware Legislative Women’s Caucus. Trailblazing women of the past were honored during Women’s History Month. Change-makers of Delaware’s future were also honored at this event. Nurse-Family Partnership home visiting nurses felt honored to be invited to join the celebration.

By Christine Hoeflich-Olley DECC home visiting staff (Parents as Teachers and New Directions Early Head Start) have been enjoying the warm weather and getting outside with families to explore the community — and for home visits! We have celebrated our home visiting heroes over the past several weeks, first at our annual Early Head Start[…..]

By Christine Hoeflich-Olley The DECC home visiting programs have been busy visiting families, holding community groups, and focusing on quality over the last few months! DECC PAT and NDEHS have welcomed several new staff and families along the way! Home visitors are busy planning for upcoming STEAM group events at each Stay and Play site![…..]

By Emily A. Thompson Honoring the heart, skill, and spirit behind our mission. We’re proud to introduce Champions Among Us, a new feature in our quarterly newsletter dedicated to celebrating the incredible people who make our work possible. Each issue will spotlight the individuals who go above and beyond in serving families and supporting our[…..]

April 21–25, 2025 Celebrating National Home Visiting Week in Delaware By Emily A. Thompson Gov. Matt Meyer has officially declared April 21–25 as National Home Visiting Week in Delaware, recognizing the incredible work of home visitors and the life-changing impact they have on families. Home visiting programs provide essential support to families — from pregnancy[…..]

By Emily A. Thompson Senate Concurrent Resolution 53 Celebrated the Impact of Home Visiting Programs Statewide In April, the Delaware General Assembly formally recognized the week of April 21–25, 2025, as National Home Visiting Week through the passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution 53. Introduced on April 17, 2025, and led by state Sen. Eric Buckson,[…..]

By Emily A. Thompson Westside’s Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and Home Visiting Community Health Workers are offering a free virtual support group for parents and caregivers. This is a great resource you can share with the families you serve! The group provides a safe, judgment-free space to connect with others, exchange parenting tips, and receive support[…..]

The Delaware Child Psychiatry Access Program (DCPAP) now operates under the Division of Public Health, expanding support for youth mental health care. This free service connects pediatric providers with child psychiatrists for quick, expert guidance.

Join the movement to uplift, advocate, and take action for Black maternal health in Delaware. Together, we can create a future where Black mothers, babies, and communities thrive.

The charge of MSHAC is to plan how to serve families with a substance use disorder better through a multiagency approach. Agenda topics for these meetings have included: Sharing resources and educational materials. Updates from local treatment providers. Coordination of services and referrals. Tips for using the DFS reporting hotline. Related state legislation. Walking through[…..]

The Town Hall for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC), held on Jan. 24 at Bally’s Dover Casino Resort, was a resounding success! We are thrilled to continue the important conversations around the expansion of IECMHC in Delaware. The event provided a deeper understanding of the Delaware Model, highlighting its approach to supporting[…..]

Connecting Delaware’s Community Health Workers and Family Support Specialists for a day of collaboration, learning, and networking. On Thursday, Jan. 23, a group of 75 Community Health Workers and Family Support Specialists with Delaware’s Home Visiting Program gathered for “Lets Thrive! A Home Visiting Workforce Symposium” at Bally’s Dover Casino Resort. Pregnant women and families[…..]