Program Costs and Benefits

The Nurse-Family Partnership program costs approximately $4,500 per family per year.  The majority of this cost is paid for by funding through Colorado's share of the Master Tobacco Settlement, secured by Invest in Kids' and the program's strong legislative champions in the 2000 legislative session.

Summary of Independent Cost-Benefit Studies

A RAND Corporation 2005 analysis found a net benefit to society of $34,148 (in 2003 dollars) per family served, with the bulk of the savings accruing to government, equating to a $5.07 return for every dollar invested in Nurse-Family Partnership. The analysis also found that for the higher-risk families participating in the first trial in Elmira, New York, the community recovered the costs of the program by the time the child reached age four, with additional savings continuing throughout the lives of both mother and child.

In a 2004 study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Nurse-Family Partnership ranked highest in terms of cost return among pre-K, child welfare, youth development, mentoring, youth substance prevention and teen pregnancy prevention programs at $2.88 benefit per dollar of cost.

In a 2004 report, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene projected the expect cost savings to New York City for every 100 families served by Nurse-Family Partnership. Projected cost savings estimates were based on the elimination of public health costs that would not be needed as the Nurse-Family Partnership program achieves its intended positive effects. Projected costs savings include:

• 50% decrease in language delays at 21 months resulting in a savings of $133,000-$440,000
• 50% reduction in child abuse and neglect among children from birth to two years, resulting in a savings of $38,500
• 29% reduction in subsequent births within two years after the birth of the first child and a 14% increase in time between first and second births, reducing risk of premature delivery and saving $80,933 for every premature birth that was prevented (Benefits and Costs, Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office).