Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health

About Us

Every stage of life has unique challenges. The MCAH program empowers and educates parents and families each step of the way to improve the well-being of the kids in our community. Our MCAH nurses provide pregnant parents and families with young kids free home visits that are tailored to the families’ specific needs.

What We Do

Public health nurses (RN, PHN) can meet families in the comfort of their own home or by phone to provide:

  • Information about health, caring for your baby, breast/chest feeding, development, parenting, safety, family planning, and more.
  • Weight and height checks of babies and children
  • Links to local services for healthcare, housing, food, transportation, day care, and more.
  • Moving Beyond Depression Program for parents with postpartum depression or anxiety (see “Maternal Mental Health” tab below for more information).

Who Can Benefit

Reasons why a family might want home visits:

  • Parents with health concerns during or after pregnancy
  • Children with special health care needs
  • Young and/or first-time parents
  • Families without health insurance, are low-income, or are homeless
  • Parents with postpartum depression or anxiety
  • Families grieving the death of a child

How to contact us or sign up a family

MCAH toll-free main line: 1 (800) 301-1450

Jessica Ferrer, MCAH Director

(530) 265-1491, Jessica.Ferrer-PH@nevadacountyca.gov

Jeana McHugh, MCAH Program Coordinator

(530) 847-8293 (call or text), Jeana.McHugh@nevadacountyca.gov

  1. Other Local Home Visiting Programs for Families

Healthy Babies

A Home Visitor from Healthy Babies (HB) has the time to answer your questions and show you ways to encourage your baby at every stage of development.  During home visits, new and expecting parents learn to solve problems, manage stress, and enjoy and understand their child at every stage, from infancy to kindergarten.

A Home Visitor can provide:

  • Information about your growing baby
  • Developmental screenings to make sure your baby is healthy and meeting their milestones
  • Referrals for pre/post-natal depression
  • Fun and engaging activities for you and your baby
  • Connections with local resources to make sure you have everything you need

For more information or to sign up, visit their website or fill out a contact form in English or Spanish.

Young Parents Program

The Young Parents Program (YPP) is a program designed to enhance the health, educational achievement, economic, personal and societal integration and independence of pregnant and parenting adolescents through case management.  There are two requirements that apply to eligibility.   First, one must be expectant and or parenting and secondly 19 years old or younger at the time of referral.  Case management is intended to assist young parents with completion and or enrollment of school and provide support with counseling, information, resources, strengths building, goal setting, and life decisions.  YPP is a free and voluntary program for all Young Parents in Nevada County.

For more information: Call Silver Springs High School (530)272-2635

Brilliant Beginnings 

This home visiting program is only for families already enrolled in CalWORKS. Please see more information:  https://nevadacountyca.gov/3654/Brilliant-Beginnings 

  1. Maternal Mental Health
  1. Safe Sleep
  1. Cannabis Use During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
  1. Breast/chest Feeding Resources
  1. Local Resources for parents/families 
  1. Recursos para Padres/Familias