Celebrating the work of Nurse-Family Partnership’s Community Health Heroes

    [fa icon="calendar"] Aug 21, 2020 10:00:00 AM / by Sherry Matemachani

    Sherry Matemachani

    NFP_CHA_1

    Goodwill’s implementation of Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) has always relied on key supporters; both inside and outside Goodwill. NFP’s Community Health Advocate and Specialist Team is no exception. This past July, the NFP Community Team was celebrated and honored for staff milestones in addition to the invaluable contributions they have made to the program.

     Beginning in 2019, NFP added Community Health Advocates Ardella Aikens and Jennifer Neff-Whitlow to help more new moms access the support of a personal nurse across central and southern Indiana. Ardella serves the central Indianapolis regions, covering Bartholomew, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan, and Shelby counties. Jennifer serves the southern Indiana region, covering Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington counties. 

    Ardella and Jennifer maintain contact with key referral partners in their communities, educate pregnant women and the community about the program, and maintain contact with newly referred NFP moms. Over the course of the past year, Ardella and Jennifer have maintained connections with over 300 pregnant women, ensuring they are connected with a healthcare provider and supporting any resource needs. In addition, they both represent nearly 1,000 outreach contacts made with various community organizations and programs. Since joining NFP both Ardella and Jennifer have completed their Community Health Workers certification. 

    JNW_Ardella

    NFP Community Resource Specialist Andrea Voisard and Community Employment Specialist Deanna Warren also play an integral role in the implementation of the program and support of NFP mothers and their families. Both have served the Goodwill NFP community for the past five years, continuously elevating the program and making a particular impact on the self-sufficiency of our moms. As a Community Employment Specialist, Deanna works on connecting NFP moms to various employment opportunities and has worked with Talentsource, Goodwill’s job placement agency, to secure 50 job placements for NFP participants and their families in 2019. Andrea used her skills as a Community Resource Specialist to recently secure diapers and wipes for NFP moms, free of charge, as part of a partnership with a local diaper bank. 

    DeannaW

    The COVID-19 pandemic created many new and unforeseen challenges for NFP, but the Community Health team has stepped up to help manage referrals and maintain community connections despite these challenges. The team has incorporated creative approaches to their work and have continued to foster valuable relationships including those within Goodwill. 

    Untitled design copy

    Without the support of the NFP Community Team, Goodwill’s NFP would not be able to have the same measurable impact on Hoosier moms and their families. Their work gives us much to celebrate and we are very fortunate to have them as part of the Goodwill NFP family. 

    To learn more about impact of Goodwill’s Nurse-Family Partnership, please read the latest Nurse-Family Partnership Annual Report.

    Topics: Nurse-Family Partnership, Success Story

    Sherry Matemachani

    Written by Sherry Matemachani

    Subscribe to Email Updates

    Lists by Topic

    see all

    Posts by Topic

    see all

    Recent Posts