Family Home Visiting

Home Visits

A Public Health Nurse is available to visit with families, free of charge, who are expecting a baby or have just welcomed a baby into the home. The nurse will meet with you in your home to offer parenting support and growth and development information. Families will have the opportunity to ask questions about nutrition for both mom and baby, check blood pressure, discuss well-being, and learn about signs and symptoms of pregnancy, labor and delivery, physical and emotional changes, breastfeeding, caring for the newborn, immunizations, and more. These early moments are important to families. Nurses are able to participate in reinforcing family strengths, which builds a foundation for babies to grow and prepares children for school. Some insurance companies cover the cost of the visits and may be billed. 

Hear about home visiting experiences in the video below.

Healthy Promise

Families who participate during pregnancy have an opportunity to earn a $25 gift card by receiving an educational overview of nutrition, pre-term labor, fetal development, bonding and attachment issues, and the effect of toxic substances on fetal development, i.e., alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Universal Home Visiting

Home visits are offered to all parents with newborns whether it is your first baby, second, third, or more. On these visits, a Public Health Nurse will weigh your baby, assess your baby from head to toe, and provide information on a variety of topics including sleep habits, feeding your baby, infant cues, playing with your baby, connecting to community resources, and more. A welcome gift bag is provided to each family that accepts a home visit.

Healthy Families America and Nurse-Family Partnership

In these voluntary programs, a family will partner with a Public Health Nurse through the first years of the child's life. The Nurse is able to share evidence-based education and resources to support families in their parenting journey. Information can be found through the WIC office or by calling 218-879-4511 and asking to talk to a Family Home Visiting Nurse.  

Car Seat Program

Public Health Nurses provide education and car seats to eligible families. Family Home Visiting Nurses are available to help determine eligibility. Call 218-879-4511 for assistance to obtain a car seat or check with your health insurance plan.

Breastfeeding Support/Lactation Consultant

Our nurses will provide support and information about breastfeeding to pregnant and postpartum women on home visits or through a phone call. Our nurses have received intensive training and are certified as a lactation consultant, lactation counselor, or lactation educator. Public Health has also compiled a list of resources for Breastfeeding Families that can be found here.

Breastfeeding Work

Carlton County Public Health has made efforts to create an accommodating environment to those who are currently breastfeeding. One step the County has taken is to become a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace, with a designation from the Minnesota Department of Health in 2015. 

Another step is the creation of a Breastfeeding Friendly Health Department Policy (PDF). In addition to the policy, Carlton County Public Health has worked on the 10-step process and has received Gold Level status as a Breastfeeding Friendly Health Department. Public Health's efforts can be reviewed and downloaded (PDF).

Follow Along Program

A fun and easy way to learn at home about your child’s health and development. Provides ideas about "what to teach" and "at what age" to teach it. A simple way to ask questions about how your child is playing, talking, growing, moving, and acting. Sign up for the Follow Along Program here.

Parenting/Development Information

Trusted parenting information, resources and activities to help your children grow, develop and learn from birth through high school.