"I believe in a mantra: 'We are the lifeline for many of these families.' It's challenging work, but every day I know we can change the life course for these young women, enabling them to become successful, self-sufficient parents."
That's Maria Chionchio's take on what Brown University's Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute calls her "profound influence on the well-being of children and families" in Rhode Island.
Chionchio is this year's recipient of the Elizabeth Burke Bryant Hero Award, which Brown says honors individuals who have had "a profound influence on the well-being of children and families in Rhode Island."
Chionchio is the Nurse-Family Partnership nurse manager at Children's Friend, a nonprofit that offers home visiting services to first-time mothers and their newborns.
Under Chionchio's leadership, expectant mothers are paired with a registered nurse who delivers free and intensive support within the comfort of their own homes.
The trust the NFP team builds with mothers and children results in significant improvements in pregnancy outcomes and overall family health and well-being.
The outcomes of their patients have been remarkable, with 89% of babies born full term, 92% of mothers initiating breastfeeding, 97% of
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