Congratulations to RVNAhealth’s Laura Shulman Cordeira, MPH, on her receipt of the 2023 Tenacious Caregiver Award presented by the National Service Office at their National Symposium in Seattle on September 12th. Shulman Cordeira, RVNAhealth’s Community Health & Wellness Director, was recognized for her role as a program Administrator for her leadership in growing Nurse-Family Partnership at RVNAhealth.
About RVNAhealth’s Nurse Family Partnership
Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) is a national program offered through the National Service Office (NSO) that serves first-time pregnant people affected by economic inequality and their children. Each program participant is paired with a nurse home visitor from pregnancy until the child turns 2.
Nurse-Family Partnership at RVNAhealth launched in 2020 and is only the second NFP program in the state of Connecticut. Funded by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, the program has served 98 moms and 65 babies and celebrated 8 graduates from the 2.5-year-long program. This voluntary free program is for people pregnant with their first child, who meet income guidelines, and reside in Western Connecticut.
When combined with traditional medical care, national program statistics show that families participating experience a 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect, a 56% decrease in ER visits for accidents and poisonings, an 18% decrease in pre-term births, and an increase in breastfeeding initiation. There are also several long-term benefits to participants, including 67% reduction in behavioral/intellectual challenges at age 6, 61% fewer arrests of the mother, and 59% reduction in child arrests at age 15.
2023 Tenacious Caregiver Award for NFP Administrator
The Tenacious Caregiver Award for NFP Administrator is given to an exceptional Network Partner leader who advocates for Nurse-Family Partnership in their community and supports high performance from their team.
Shulman Cordeira has led the RVNAhealth NFP program since right after it launched in 2020. Despite the challenges that came with starting up during the pandemic, the program has grown impressively in a short time thanks to her dedication and leadership. She has been a steadfast advocate for NFP– using her voice to testify for increased funding and working to build a strong community of support behind NFP in her community and across Connecticut.
“Your selection is a testament to your passion for NFP’s mission and values and your commitment to your team. We have been so impressed by your dedication to the program – growing your implementation in the face of the pandemic; building strong relationships across your community and state in support of the program; and tirelessly advocating for sustainable funding streams,” said Charlotte Min-Harris, President & CEO of the National Service Office for Nurse-Family Partnership.
Congratulations to the Entire RVNAhealth NFP Team!
Congratulations again to Laura, as well as the entire NFP team. The successful growth of the NFP program is a testament to their collective hard work. One of our NFP moms best summed up the impact their work, “[They have provided] amazing support to help guide me through this journey to motherhood. The peace of mind this program provides is outstanding.”
To learn more about our program, please visit the RVNAhealth Nurse-Family Partnership website.
