Hello Baby (formerly FIRSTLink) is a collaborative project of The Guidance Center’s Infant-Toddler programs and several other community programs. Hello Baby provides a single welcoming home visit, a structured risk assessment using a standard protocol, and community connections for any consenting Somerville or Cambridge family who delivers an infant at the Cambridge Hospital. Within four to ten weeks after the birth, families receive a visit from a professionally-trained Hello Baby visitor who delivers a gift basket to welcome the new family member.

Thirty percent of births to Cambridge and Somerville women have risk factors that are known about and recorded on electronic birth certificates. An additional 10-15% in the “universal” population disclose risk to Hello Baby home visitors that include domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness and other factors associated with extreme poverty or recent immigration.

For some mothers, the Hello Baby visit is a chance to meet a friendly woman at a time when new mothers can feel alone and isolated from others. For other mothers and families, the visit helps them find the needed community resources, including primary and specialty health care, child care, play groups or agencies assisting with basic needs.

Goal
Hello Baby’s main goal is to ensure healthy child development by helping families with newborns link to needed community support services.

The Hello Baby Team
Hello Baby home visitors are trained in maternal and child health care. Visitors speak English, Spanish and Portuguese. Interpreters are utilized as needed.

Fees
There is no direct charge to families for a Hello Baby visit.

For more information, please contact:

Megan Postal, LICSW, MPH
Program Coordinator
The Guidance Center's Somerville Office
61 Medford Street
Somerville, MA 02143
Tel: 617.629.3919 x190
Fax: 617.629.4644
Email : mpostal@gcinc.org

PLEASE NOTE: Do not include any client information when communicating via email. Email is for general inquiries only.

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