Welcome Baby
Welcome Baby, a Los Angeles County-based home-visiting program sponsored by First 5 LA, provides an opportunity for new parents to learn about early childhood development and obtain assistance on issues such as basic health care, insurance coverage, nutrition, breastfeeding, family violence, maternal depression, and improving home safety. The program is free, voluntary, and provides hospital and home-based interventions for pregnant and postpartum women.
The Welcome Baby program is delivered in 14 Los Angeles County hospitals and includes up to nine engagement points, beginning either prenatally or at the birth of the child through the first nine months. Ideally, Welcome Baby visits are typically conducted one-on-one and in the woman’s home. However, during the pandemic, services have been provided to mothers virtually.
Evaluation of the Welcome Baby Program
First 5 LA contracted with AIR and its partners at Georgetown University and Juárez & Associates to conduct the Welcome Baby Study, a longitudinal study of the Welcome Baby program. This evaluation, as part of the larger Welcome Baby Evaluation Portfolio, will contribute to the body of research related to the effectiveness of the Welcome Baby home-visiting model. The primary goals of the current evaluation are to (1) examine the implementation of virtual home visits, and (2) explore the relationships between Welcome Baby virtual home visits and maternal, child, and family outcomes.
