Families participating in South Dakota’s Bright Start Nurse Home Visiting program experience significantly stronger early childhood health outcomes compared to the overall Medicaid population.
That’s according to new data from the state Department of Health.
The Bright Start program is available to first-time pregnant women in eligible counties across South Dakota. First-time pregnant women are connected with trained, nurse home visitors who provide support from pregnancy through the child’s second birthday.
Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt says participation is voluntary and provided at no cost to families. She says the program focuses on a healthy pregnancy, child development, family bonding and connecting families to community resources.
Magstadt says Bright Start helps establish strong healthcare habits that continue even after families graduate from the program, which means healthier kids, more confident parents and stronger communities across South Dakota. She says the data shows improved well-child visit completion and higher rates of lead (led) screening among Bright Start participants.
Key outcome highlights include:
- Well-Child Visits at 15 Months: 72.3% of Bright Start children received the recommended number of well-child visits, compared to 44.9% of Medicaid children statewide.
- Well-Child Visits at 30 Months: 88.9% of Bright Start children continued routine well-child visits after the program ended, compared to 50.9% of Medicaid children statewide.
- Childhood Lead Screening: 63.3% of Bright Start children received lead screenings by age two, compared to 32.3% in the Medicaid population.
Magstadt says Bright Start families enroll at different points during pregnancy, but the program’s impact becomes more obvious as children grow. Children who participate in Bright Start are eligible for Medicaid coverage, and most families choose to enroll. The program is supported through Medicaid, state general funds, and federal Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting grant funds.
Bright Start implements the Nurse Family Partnership evidence-based home visiting model.
The Bright Start information gathered is measured using the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set.
To learn more, visit the DOH website, https://doh.sd.gov/programs/bright-start/.
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