Welcome Baby is a home visiting program in Los Angeles County, California that provides education and support for pregnant women and mothers of newborns. Beginning in 2009, the program was originally piloted in one downtown Los Angeles community for five years as part of a larger place-based initiative called Best Start LA. It was then expanded to 13 additional communities across the county in 2013.
The Urban Institute evaluated the Welcome Baby and Best Start LA over the course of six years. Publications associated with this effort include annual evaluation reports, a cost-effectiveness study, and a study on The Effects of Welcome Baby on Medi-Cal Enrollment and Utilization.
Publications
- Effects of Welcome Baby Home Visiting on Maternal and Child Medi-Cal Enrollment and Utilization
- Welcome Baby Home Visiting: Findings from the 36-Month Child and Family Survey and 3-Year Longitudinal Results
- First 5 LA Welcome Baby Expansion: Early Implementation Experiences
- Best Start in Metro LA Pilot Community Evaluation: Estimating the Cost-Effectiveness of Welcome Baby Home Visiting
- Effects of Welcome Baby Home Visiting: Findings from the 24-Month Child and Family Survey
- Best Start LA Pilot Community Evaluation Case Study Report 4: Implementing Best Start LA: Important Transitions as the Investment is Brought to Scale
- Best Start LA Pilot Community Evaluation: Effects of Welcome Baby! Home Visiting: Findings from the 12-Month Child and Family Survey
- Best Start in Metro LA: More Insights from Parents, Home Visitors, and Community Stakeholders about the Investment and Its Progress
- Implementing Best Start LA: Continued Commitment in the Midst of Persistent Challenges
- Implementing Best Start LA: Momentum Grows in Metro LA
- A Good Start for Best Start in Metro LA: Focus Group Insights from Parents, Home Visitors, and Community Stakeholders
- Implementing Best Start LA in Metro LA—Slow but Steady Progress for the Place-Based Community Initiative