UT Tyler School of Health Professions Recognizes Participants of NFP Program

April 29, 2025 | Elizabeth Wingfield

Nurse Family Partnership program graduates, Bliss Cordova and her daughter, receive their certificate from Laura Vazquez, their nurse during the program. The nurses monitor the child’s weight, blood pressure, length, head circumference and temperature, to prevent serious health issues or help the mother access the right resources if problems arise. The University of Texas at Tyler School of Health Professions held a ceremony to celebrate 16 mothers and their toddlers graduating from the Nurse Family Partnership program.

The NFP program connects trained nurses with first-time mothers to provide convenient, in-home visits twice a month at no charge from pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. The nurses monitor the child’s weight, blood pressure, length, head circumference and temperature, to prevent serious health issues or help the mother access the right resources if problems arise.

“Programs like Nurse Family Partnerships demonstrate the profound impact we can have beyond hospital and school walls,” says Dr. Theresa Byrd, School of Health Professions dean. “By supporting mothers in their homes during such a critical time in their pregnancy and child’s development, we’re not only improving child health outcomes—we’re helping families build a stronger foundation for the future.”

According to the 2023 Pediatric Health Status of Northeast Texas report by the UT Tyler School of Medicine, pediatric mortality in the region is nearly 2.5 times higher than the national average. By building a relationship and regularly checking in with their patients, the NFP program hopes to help reduce that number in East Texas.

“Our team can identify potential issues before they occur, leading to improved outcomes for the Bliss and her daughter graduated alongside 16 other mothers with their toddlers from the Nurse Family Partnership program, which connects trained nurses with first-time mothers to provide convenient, in-home visits twice a month at no charge from pregnancy until the child’s second birthday. child,” says Ivette Miles, NFP nursing supervisor. “Our nurses provide personalized care and support, tailored to each mother’s unique needs. Our goal is to support mothers in thriving across all aspects of their lives to ultimately promote the well-being of their children.”

In addition to health care access for the mother and child, NFP also empowers mothers to achieve their long-term goals, such as starting a career or graduating high school. The nurses connect the mothers to essential resources like childcare and flexible education options, as well as provide encouragement and personalized guidance.

“The program has helped me through pregnancy, postpartum depression, and the everyday challenges of having a baby,” says Bliss Cordova, one of the mothers. “When I was in a pinch, my nurses would bring me diapers, formula, even a highchair at one point. When my daughter was sick and I didn’t know what to do, they were just a call away. The nurses were so caring and present—they were truly a part of the family. Young mother can be scared to ask for help, but this program made me feel seen and supported. It reminded me that there are people who genuinely care and want to see you and your baby thrive.”

To qualify for the program, participants must be low-income first-time mothers who are pregnant 28 weeks or less and are living in Smith, Henderson or Cherokee County. Learn more about the Nurse Family Partnership program at UT Tyler by emailing nfp@uttyler.edu.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.