NYC launches program to provide in-home visits to new parents 

New York City is launching a program to help first-time parents deal with anxiety, postpartum depression, and other mental health issues that up to 20% of new mothers face. The initiative is modeled on similar programs in Chicago and Durham, N.C. Oregon also passed legislation last fall to set up a universal home visiting program for parents and newborns. Beyond mental health screening, the service has shown to help parents better bond with their children and reduce the need for emergency medical care. In New York, every first-time parent — regardless of gender, income level, or whether they are the biological parents — can receive up to six home visits from a nurse, doula, or other professional, who may then connect them to other resources. The program will debut in Brooklyn and expand to all five boroughs by 2024.