Nurture NC

10/02/2026

El bienestar de tu bebé empieza en casa.

Tener un hogar estable y contar con servicios básicos como agua, luz y calefacción es fundamental para el bienestar de las mamás y sus bebés. Sin embargo, más de una de cada cinco personas en Carolina del Norte destina al menos la mitad de sus ingresos a la vivienda. Esta presión económica puede ser abrumadora.

Algunos planes de salud de NC Medical pueden ayudarte a aliviar esa carga con vales para pagar los gastos de la vivienda o ayuda relacionada con los servicios públicos como parte de sus beneficios adicionales.

Explora los recursos disponibles en español enhttps://www.nurturencnow.org/documents/nurture-nc-vab-poster-es.pdf y descubre si tu plan ofrece apoyo para la vivienda.



AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
UnitedHealthcare
Carolina Complete Health
Healthy Blue NC
Shannon Dowler

10/01/2026

Can cash support given to mothers early in a child’s life impact a child’s biological age? A groundbreaking new study from our partners at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy says yes.

Published in Nature Human Behaviour, the randomized controlled trial followed 1,000 low-income U.S. mothers who received either $333/month or $20/month for the first four years of their children’s lives—with no extra intervention provided.

Here is what the study found:

👧 🧒 👶Children whose mothers received the higher cash amount showed a small but measurable slowdown in biological aging at the cellular level (measured through simple saliva tests).

💲 Growing up in poverty creates chronic stress that can cause children's bodies to age faster biologically, raising their risk for adult illness. This study shows that direct financial support early in life can actually help buffer children against that biological wear and tear.

There is strong and growing evidence that poverty is bad for developing brains and that children raised in poverty go on to have higher rates of disease and shorter lifespans. This study adds to that evidence and shows the economic support can improve brain development.

Read the full study:

Raffington et al. find that providing low-income mothers with cash gifts for the first four years of their children’s lives appears to change the children’s epigenetic biological ageing in ways associated with better health in adulthood.

09/30/2026

Are you helping families navigate upcoming Medicaid and SNAP changes in NC? NC Department of Health and Human Services has released critical toolkits and training opportunities to help organizations support communities and families.

You can:
✅ Access a Medicaid "Know What's Next" Toolkit: Get ready-to-use materials in English and Spanish.
✅ Access updated guides on ABAWD work requirements.
✅ Become a Medicaid Ambassador or participate in NCDHHS Train-the-Trainer sessions to guide local applicants through ePASS.nc.gov.
✅ Join the Connecting Communities and Medicaid (CCM) Workgroup meeting virtually every 2nd Wednesday at 8:30 AM.

Thank you to all our partners for keeping North Carolina families connected to care and support! 💙

Learn more and access resources at: https://www.nurturencnow.org/resources?category_equal=%5B%22NC+Statewide+Resources%22%5D&type_equal=%5B%22Article%22%5D

Working together for healthier beginnings in North Carolina. Addressing maternal mortality, rural access, and family health through community action.

09/29/2026

We are proud to announce that our Board Chair, Elizabeth Hope Star, has been appointed by Gov. Josh Stein to the North Carolina Council for Women! The mission of the Council for Women is to advocate for and empower women, to amplify the voices of women, and to drive policies that promote education, safety, health, and social and economic justice for the women of North Carolina.

Learn more about the Council and its work:

The Council for Women was established to further opportunities for women in North Carolina.

09/29/2026

Stop by and see us this Friday at Dando a Luz in Raleigh! Our own Maria Ramirez is moderating a panel, and we will have a table full of resources to help people access their Value-Added Benefits (VABs). VABs are extra health and wellness support and resources available to most North Carolina Medicaid members to help their families thrive.

Learn more about VABs and access the posters, brochures, and additional information you can share at: www.nurturencnow.org/vabs

For more on the conference, go to: https://www.wakeahec.org/courses-and-events/78535/dando-a-luz-a-bilingual-conference-on-latine-maternal--infant-health-well-being--care

We hope to see you there!

09/24/2026

La leche materna aporta a tu bebé muchos de los nutrientes que necesita, pero amamantar no siempre es fácil.

El dolor, la producción de leche o la vuelta al trabajo pueden llevar a muchas mamás a dejar de amamantar antes de lo planeado. Pero con la información y el acompañamiento adecuados, podrías alimentar a tu bebé con confianza.

¿Sabías que este apoyo podría estar disponible sin costo? Muchos planes de NC Medicaid incluyen sacaleches, bolsas para almacenar la leche materna y apoyo para la lactancia como parte de sus beneficios adicionales.

Averigua qué beneficios tienes disponibles en www.nurturencnow.org/vabs_es

09/18/2026

Improving maternal and infant health requires deep collaboration across health systems, state agencies, and community partners.

We want your feedback! Please let us know how weʼre doing as partners. Take our partner survey today: https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_73wdOgDi2Bu0WVM

09/17/2026

September is Month. During this month we are reminded that every child deserves the chance to thrive and every family deserves access to the care and support needed for a healthy start.

Although infant mortality rates have improved, the United States continues to experience higher rates of infant death than many other high-income countries, and differences in outcomes among communities remain significant.

This month is more than an observance. It is a call to action.
We encourage communities, policymakers, health care providers, public health professionals, and advocates to:

-Raise awareness about infant mortality and its causes.
-Support evidence-based maternal and infant health programs.
-Promote safe sleep, prenatal care, and postpartum care.
-Address social and economic barriers that affect birth outcomes.
-Invest in Healthy Start and other community-based initiatives that help families thrive.

Together, we can reduce preventable infant deaths and ensure that every baby has the opportunity to celebrate a first birthday.

Healthy Babies. Healthy Families. Healthy Communities. Healthy Start.

09/16/2026

Postpartum and maternal mental health conditions affect 1 in 5 birthing people in the U.S. Yet nearly 75% go without care, often due to systemic barriers, stigma, or a lack of clear navigation.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Individuals can call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) or webchat to connect with a trained counselor who will listen, provide support, and connect them with resources.

As healthcare providers, community leaders, and birth advocates, you are on the frontlines of ensuring mothers get support when they most need it. Nurture NC is dedicated to supporting workforce capacity, expanding care access, and equipping leaders with actionable tools. By embedding evidence-based mental health resources into routine care and community outreach, we can ensure every family receives timely, compassionate support.

The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and Spanish for pregnant and postpartum individuals experiencing mental health issues.

09/15/2026

Este Mes de la Herencia Hispana, reconocemos la importancia de tener el apoyo necesario para cuidar nuestra salud y la de nuestras familias.

Durante el embarazo, el apoyo continuo mejora los resultados y ayuda a reducir las complicaciones durante el parto.

Por eso, en Nurture NC, unimos fuerzas con nuestros socios para que más personas de Carolina del Norte puedan contar con una doula. Esta ayuda es clave, ya que se trata de una persona que te brinda apoyo físico, emocional e información para que puedas afrontar con tranquilidad tanto el embarazo como el parto. Además, lo hace respetando tu idioma, tus tradiciones y tus valores.

¡Y hay una buena noticia! Muchos planes de NC Medicaid ofrecen este acompañamiento sin costo, como beneficio adicional. Consulta si tu plan lo incluye y descubre qué otros beneficios están disponibles para ti y tu familia.

Obtén más información en www.nurturencnow.org/vabs_es.