NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) -- Nashville Strong Babies is a local program meant to keep mothers and their babies healthy.
The initiative, which started in 2019, provides mothers with care services and advice while simultaneously working to reduce infant deaths.
Last year, the program expanded from targeted zip codes to throughout Davidson County, adding hundreds of families in the process.
"The most exciting thing about that -- the 500 families that have been through it in the past year, we had zero infant mortality, zero maternal deaths," said Matthew Peters, a spokesperson for the Metro Public Health Department.
Even so, the future of the program might be uncertain. So far, it's secured close to $500,000 in federal funds this year. They typically get $1 million.
"We've gotten the first half of that now, and we anticipate a further award later when the new federal budget year starts....in October," explained Peters.
With federal budget cuts happening nationwide, one can only hope Nashville Strong Babies, entirely federally-funded, gets the remaining portion.
In the meantime, Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced Friday morning that the city would invest over $300,000 into the program.
While it's unclear whether the supplemental money has anything to do with potential federal cuts, what's crystal clear is the program's local impact.
"Getting paired up with a care coordinator, who can walk you through every step...that's going to help you. That's going to really improve the start of your baby's life, it's going to help your life, if you're the mom or the dad, that's really gonna help a healthy family," concluded Peters.
If you're a mother who's expecting or have a baby younger than 18 months in Davidson County, you can be part of this program.
To get involved, you can visit the Nashville Strong Babies website or call 615-340-5616. They will also have opportunities to sign up at enrollment fairs in late August.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.