A free program is open to pregnant Navy and Marine Corps service members and eligible family members that will support mothers and their babies throughout their pregnancy and a full year after childbirth.
First Year Focus, provided by the Navy-Marine Corrps Relief Society and delivered by the NMCRS Visiting Nurse Program, provides a variety of care, support services and educational resources with the goal of improving the overall mental health of mothers during pregnancy and postpartum.
“This unique, comprehensive program strongly considers mothers’ physical health but has a solid emphasis on their mental and emotional well-being as well,” said Capt. Rosemary Perdue, director of the Visiting Nurse Program, NMCRS. “Military life presents unique challenges, so First Year Focus addresses those issues, while also helping to mitigate the overall risks of serious mental and physical health conditions.”
Of the approximately 100,000 active-duty and military spouses who give birth each year, one in three are impacted by maternal mental health conditions, which is twice the rate of the civilian population. The first legislation specifically addressing military mothers’ mental health was also included in the final 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
Participants who enroll in the free program will receive personalized support and ongoing care, infant feeding and growth monitoring, customized home or virtual visits, education and resources and collaboration with other providers.
First Year Focus is being piloted in select locations in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and New England. For more information about this free program, call 800-654-8364.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.