2024 ANNUAL REPORT
WELCOME LETTER
FROM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP ®
I am so thankful for Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership nurses, staff, families, supporters and partners.
Together, we have served over 2,700 Hoosier families in 2024. We have over 100 nurses, trained on our evidence-based model and serving families in eight different regions. After expanding our services in 2023, Goodwill NFP is fully operating in 62 Indiana counties and our nurses have the capacity to serve over 2,500 families each year. These are significant milestones and we couldn’t have reached them without your funding investment and ever-present support.
Navigating through last year’s expansion has given us such valuable growth experiences. Our nurses have collaborated with new community partners and health care systems. They’ve delivered trusted information and worked with our community health
workers to source vital resources that have not only supported parents through pregnancy and early childhood, but also supported them in reaching long-term, economic sufficiency.
We’re excited to share with you the stories of NaShae Price and Alena Winfrey, parents who worked with their nurses to uncover their parenting skills and overcome barriers. These parents have been able to reach a number of goals they’ve set for their families — from stability to lactation — through the significant bond they’ve developed with their nurses.
Additionally, we’re sharing a feature story of our mental health team, who are diligently conducting one-on-one therapy with enrolled parents, helping them access life-altering care while also providing support for the nurses.
The stories that we are sharing with you have major implications for better health outcomes. Goodwill NFP is dedicated to reducing the infant mortality rate in Indiana, measured by children celebrating their first birthday. According to the latest data available, about seven infants die for every 1,000 live births.
Though there is promising preliminary data coming from the Indiana Department of Health, it’s still evident that we have important and humbling work ahead of us to improve infant and maternal mortality, key indicators of health. In 2025, we look forward to serving even more expectant families and walking with them at such a pivotal stage in their lives. Together, we will continue to help families provide the very best start for their children, during the earliest, most developmentally critical years.
As always, thank you for your interest and continued support of Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership.
Lynn Baldwin, RN, MSN, WHNP-BC
GOODWILL NFP MOM REWRITES HER STORY
After becoming pregnant as a teenager and leaving high school, NaShae Price enrolled in Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) for support.
Pregnant with her first child, she was struggling to secure stable housing, transportation and a living wage job to help support her growing family.
“My nurse helped me in multiple ways — emotionally, physically and financially,” NaShae said. “She's just been there in every way possible.”
NaShae’s nurse, Jessica, guided her through her desire to breastfeed, helped her secure funding for quality child care and was there to answer all of her questions throughout her motherhood journey.
“Visits with my nurse were great,” NaShae said. “They were very educational. We talked a lot about breastfeeding, daycare options and developmental milestones for my daughter.”
Now a mom of two, NaShae has her own home, transportation and a job in the health care industry that she is passionate about. She is also enrolled in a Certified Medical Assistant Certification program through Goodwill Ignite to enhance her earning potential.
“Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership helped me rewrite my story,” NaShae said.
WALKING ALONGSIDE FIRST-TIME PARENTS
Goodwill Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), a maternalchild program that pairs registered nurses with firsttime parents, celebrated its 13th anniversary in 2024. For over a decade, Goodwill NFP nurses have partnered with families to deliver trusted information to achieve a healthy pregnancy, birth and early childhood.
Alena Winfrey enrolled in the program during her second trimester, trusting Goodwill NFP’s model in one of its newest service regions in southwest Indiana. By working with her nurse, Alexa, she’s been able to combat the anxieties that accompany a first-time pregnancy.
“It's very helpful to have someone there to help educate, encourage, and uplift you,” said Alena. “I’ve learned so much by asking her questions.”
Education was especially important throughout Alena’s pregnancy. Her nurse provided information on pregnancy, breastfeeding and postpartum.
There were concerns that her son would be born very small or be diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Her nurse helped her understand what the condition was and how it could affect her child.
Once her son was born, Alena worked with her nurse to improve feeding processes and ensure that he was growing well. As a Certified Lactation Specialist, her nurse had the knowledge and expertise to assist with latching and implementing tools such as nipple shields.
Alena produced more milk than her son needed, and quickly ran out of storage to freeze it for later use. Her nurse assisted her with finding and writing a grant for a deep freezer that could offer more space.
“We wouldn't have access to it without my nurse's assistance with the grant, and it’s wildly helpful,“ said Alena.
Between pregnancy and birth, Alena developed a strong bond with her nurse.
“She gives me the encouragement that I’m meeting my goals and doing a good job as a mom,” said Alena. “She’s like a friend now.”
Having a child is a unique journey; Goodwill NFP nurses walk alongside families who are experiencing this for the first time, offering a helping hand along the way. Alena’s nurse will support her family’s growth and goals until her son turns two years old.
“I’m looking forward to all of his firsts,” said Alena. “His first steps, his first solid food–I’m excited for the journey ahead!”
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“IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE THERE TO HELP EDUCATE, ENCOURAGE, AND UPLIFT YOU.”
–
ALENA WINFREY
MEET THE GOODWILL NFP MENTAL HEALTH TEAM
Until participants’ children turn two years old, Goodwill NurseFamily Partnership (NFP) walks alongside expectant families, educating them about child development and connecting them to invaluable resources to tackle barriers in housing, employment and mental health. For parents who need an additional level of support regarding their mental health, nurses refer parents to the Goodwill NFP mental health team.
Composed of five full-time mental health clinicians, this team conducts one-on-one therapy with parents who are enrolled in Goodwill NFP.
“Each team member has been trained in perinatal mood disorders and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing,” said Amber Burleson, manager of the mental health team.
Knowledge is not the only common thread among the team. Despite coming from different backgrounds, all members share a passion and a history of working with families and children in a state that can often lack mental
health care access. For those who are pregnant or postpartum, there are potentially more barriers to addressing their mental health.
“Being able to provide great care to individuals who don’t have access or may be scared — there’s something reverent about that,” said Chanda Boyden-Deidrick, one of the five members of the mental health team.
The work can be mentally and emotionally taxing, but the mental health team is enthusiastic about its implications for the families they work with and for themselves.
“In the short term, we can minimize the barriers that our clients are experiencing in mental health care,” said another member of the mental health team, Katie Kauffman.
For Nichole Hutchinson, it is not only fulfilling to see parents grow from therapy, but also be a Black therapist in a profession where people of color are often underrepresented.
“Statistically knowing that there is a lack of Black therapists, it’s
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KNOWING THAT EVERYONE ON OUR TEAM IS AS PASSIONATE AND COMMITTED IS VERY EMPOWERING.
a special feeling to be in this position,” said Nichole.
Natasha Smith, another clinician on the team, takes pride in bringing her authentic self to the parents, who become more open and personable during therapy sessions. For many members of the team, connecting to the parents they work with means drawing on their personalities, backgrounds and similar life experiences.
Altogether, the mental health team looks forward to helping more and more parents find their best selves —which not only affects the parent,
but the child they’ve brought into the world. This work can break generational cycles, and the team has banded together around that importance.
“I've been working with this population for a really long time, and the work has often felt really heavy,” said Amber. “I can't quite describe how it feels to know that I am not alone in that work. Knowing that everyone on our team is as passionate and committed is very empowering. We can do more together than we can by ourselves.”
– AMBER BURLESON
