On March 5, 2026, the Chaffee County Home Visit Collaborative reached an important
milestone: its 1,000th referral.
What began in 2016 as a strategic effort to strengthen local home visiting services has grown
into a streamlined, community-wide referral system that connects families to support during
pregnancy and early childhood.
At that time, Nurse-Family Partnership was working to increase local enrollment. Numbers were
low, and staffing reductions were possible if participation did not improve. The nurse serving
Chaffee County proposed a collaborative approach and reached out to the home visiting
program at Chaffee County Public Health. Together, and with the addition of Early Head Start,
they formed the Chaffee County Home Visit Collaborative. The goal was to reduce barriers and
simplify access to services for families and referring partners.
Through conversations with medical providers and other local agencies, one theme consistently
emerged. Community partners and medical providers were aware of the home visiting
programs, but eligibility differences and program distinctions created confusion. Providers often
felt uncertain about which families qualified for which services, leaving families to navigate
multiple systems on their own.
The solution was the creation of a universal referral form. Rather than requiring partners to
determine the best fit, they only need to identify that a family is expecting a baby and could
benefit from additional support. Once the form is submitted, program staff contact the family
directly, discuss their needs, and determine which home visiting program is most appropriate.
This approach was more simple for medical providers, removed the burden to contact programs
from families and ensured that referrals are matched to the right program.
The results have been steady and measurable. In 2025 alone, the Collaborative received 163
referrals through the universal form. That number represents a vast majority of births in Chaffee
Chaffee County Public Health’s Vision: All people in Chaffee County have opportunities to achieve healthy
and connected lives in a community that embraces every aspect of health and well-being.
Reaching 1,000 total referrals reflects sustained community engagement and trust in
the system that has been built.
“The universal form has been a game-changer for our community,” said Cassondra Franco,
CCPH Nourish. “It takes the guesswork out of deciding which program might be the right fit. All
someone needs to know is that they are expecting a baby and would like additional support, or
that their patient is expecting and could benefit from it. They complete the form, and we ensure
they are connected to the program that best serves them and their growing family. We believe
every family deserves access to a home visitor.”
Families referred through the Collaborative may be connected to Nurse-Family Partnership,
CCPH’s Nourish program, or Early Head Start. All programs provide evidence-based home
visiting services at no cost to eligible families.
These programs offer private access to a registered nurse with advanced training in lactation. In
addition to breastmilk feeding support, families receive education on infant growth and
development, safety, sleep, maternal mental health, and overall family well-being. The
Collaborative operates on the belief that access to skilled professional support should not be
limited by income or family size.
If you are expecting a baby and would like to learn more about available home visiting
programs, you may complete the referral form here:
https://bit.ly/ChaffeeNurseHomeVisit
