New Parent Support Program

Military and Family Support Center Deployment Support Employment Financial Assistance Family Advocacy Program Relocation Assistance New Parent Support Program Service Specific Information

Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.

New Parent Support Program Overview

You may be expecting your first baby or busy with a toddler. That probably means you have your hands full, and may have questions. Thankfully, help is at hand.

The New Parent Support Program is a free service that helps military parents, including expectant parents, transition successfully into parenthood and provide a nurturing environment for their children. Services vary, but may include home visits, parenting classes, playgroups or prenatal classes.

General Program Description

The New Parent Support Program is a team made up of nurses, social workers and home visitation specialists who offer support and guidance by helping parents:

Build strong, healthy bonds with their infants and toddlers that will lay the foundation for their social and emotional development
Manage the demands of parenting, especially when impacted by deployments and other military operations
Remain flexible and responsive when navigating daily life
Build a strong support network
Respond to infant and toddler behavior sensitively and be attuned to their developmental needs
Find services in the local community in time of need

Learn more about the New Parent Support Program and contact your installation New Parent Support Program office to find out what’s available at your installation.

Staff Qualifications

New Parent Support Program staff are child development professionals, including registered nurses, clinical social workers, and para-professionals trained in the delivery and practice of established home visiting models. The program is supervised and monitored at the installation level by the Family Advocacy program manager.

Eligibility

The program is available to military families who are expecting a baby or have children age 3 or younger. Marine Corps eligibility includes families with at least one child under 5.

Enrollment

Contact your installation New Parent Support Program office or Family Advocacy Program office.

Other

There are many community resources available if a NPSP is not available at the nearest military installation. Especially helpful to separated or detached families are the resources of Military OneSource found in their parenting information. Military OneSource can also be reached day or night 24/7 by calling 800-342-9647. Military OneSource New Parent Support program has wonderful resources for information and referral.

Another valuable resource for finding assistance is the Maternal and Child Health Library providing an online directory for researching services for children and families. In addition, there are several websites dedicated to helping parents bridge the distance gap with their children, Moms Over the Miles and Dads at a Distance. These websites provide guidance and activities for families to help ease the separation.