Massachusetts Proposed Expanding Nurse Home Visit Program
The $2 million expansion plan would offer free nurse visits to any new parents requesting support across the state.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Child Care
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Governor Maura Healey has proposed a $2 million expansion of the Welcome Family program, which provides a free, one-time home visit by a nurse to new parents. This move follows a 2024 maternal health bill that directed state officials to make the support available to more families.
Why it matters
The proposed expansion aims to increase access to maternal health guidance and newborn care support for families statewide. It builds on the existing Welcome Family program, which currently serves about 3,000 of the 68,000 annual births in Massachusetts.
The proposal seeks to dedicate $2 million in state funds to expand the Welcome Family program. This initiative would grow the current reach of 3,000 annual visits toward a larger share of the 68,000 annual births in Massachusetts.
The players
Maura Healey
The Governor of Massachusetts who filed the spending bill and is seeking to expand the Welcome Family home visit program.
The details
The Welcome Family program, which launched in 2013, provides new parents with a voluntary, one-time home visit from a registered nurse. Under the proposed plan, state funding would replace or supplement current federal Health Resources and Services Administration contracts to ensure any requesting parent in Massachusetts can access a visit. The initiative is intended to provide professional guidance on newborn care and maternal health immediately after birth.
Timeline
2013: The Welcome Family program originally launched.
2024: A bipartisan bill directed statewide program expansion.
September 15, 2026: Governor Healey publicized the $2 million expansion proposal.
The Home Front
This proposal marks a significant investment in state-funded family support services following the mandate established by the 2024 Massachusetts maternal health bill. It reflects a shift toward using state resources to scale up health programs previously dependent on federal contracts.
New parents or those expecting a child should monitor state health department announcements to see when this expanded service becomes available to all requesting families. Once implemented, families can contact their local maternal health providers to schedule the one-time nurse home visit.
The takeaway
This initiative seeks to ensure that professional health guidance is accessible to all new families in the state. If you are expecting a new child, keep the Welcome Family program in mind as a future resource for newborn care and maternal health support.
Further reading
Learn more about local family support resources in our Child Care section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBUR 90.9 mHz.
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