General Epidemiologist

HHS NEST program launches in West Virginia. The HHS NEST program launched Oct. 9 at West Virginia University Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va., providing families with a one-time kit of newborn and postpartum supplies around the time of birth, according to the department's Oct. 9 announcement. The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded $5 million to the CDC Foundation to implement it. The program matters to hospitals, health centers and other maternity care providers because they are the distribution channel. HHS said it is prioritizing maternity care deserts, rural communities and other medically underserved areas, which puts rural hospitals and federally qualified health centers at the center of the rollout. How the HHS NEST program works. NEST, short for Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit, is led by HHS's Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs in coordination with HRSA. Kits are distributed through hospitals, federally qualified health centers and other organizations that provide maternity care to women late in pregnancy or around the time of birth, the department said. Each kit includes supplies for both mother and baby, according to HHS: * Diapers, wipes and other newborn essentials * An infant thermometer * Postpartum recovery and breastfeeding supplies * A blood pressure monitor * Information on postpartum health, infant safety and care, feeding and nutrition, and available programs Families receive kits only through participating providers. HHS does not mail kits directly to individuals or accept requests from families, according to the program's overview as described in published reports. From pilot to national program. NEST builds on the Newborn Supply Kit initiative, which HHS launched in 2023 with the nonprofit Baby2Baby. The first phase distributed 3,000 kits in Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico, HHS said at the time. The pilot later expanded to 18,000 kits across 15 states, according to the department's program page. In a 2024 evaluation cited in the release, 99 percent of surveyed recipients said they would recommend the kit to another new parent, 76 percent said it helped reduce anxiety and 72 percent reported reduced financial stress. The evaluation also reported that the kits improved recipients' trust in government services. Congress provided funding in 2026 to continue the work, HHS said. The CDC Foundation, which received the HRSA award, also partners with HHS on evaluating the program. The award's performance period runs from Sept. 30, 2026, through Sept. 29, 2027, according to federal grant records described in published reports. What officials said. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the program delivers supplies and health information "directly to families around the time of birth, including in rural and underserved communities." He thanked West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey for partnering on the launch. Morrisey said the kits would ease some of the financial pressure that comes with a new baby. HRSA Administrator Tom Engels said the program would help reach mothers and babies in rural and medically underserved communities. The inclusion of a blood pressure monitor reflects attention to postpartum cardiovascular risk. High blood pressure after delivery can signal preeclampsia and other complications, and home monitoring is one way providers can identify problems after discharge. What comes next. HHS described the West Virginia launch as the next phase of the initiative and said it is emphasizing geographic diversity as NEST expands. The release did not say how many kits the new phase will distribute, which other states or sites will take part, or how providers can apply to become distribution partners. Hospitals and health centers interested in participating will need details on site selection and kit volume, which HHS has directed families and providers to seek at hhs.gov/newbaby. How widely the HHS NEST program reaches rural maternity care deserts will depend on those site decisions over the coming year.

CDC Foundation supports nationwide expansion of HHS initiative providing Newborn Essentials to Families. October 9, 2026 Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit Initiative Launches First in West Virginia, Providing Supplies, Resources and Support to Families Welcoming a New Baby The CDC Foundation today announced its support for the nationwide expansion of the Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit (NEST) Initiative, beginning with a launch in West Virginia. The initiative provides new mothers and families with essential newborn and postpartum supplies, educational information and connections to resources during the critical first weeks after birth. For many families, welcoming a baby comes at a time of significant financial and emotional pressure. Families face new expenses for diapers, feeding, clothing, hygiene products and other necessities at the same time they may experience reduced income. The challenge of meeting these immediate needs can add to the anxiety families may already experience during the postpartum period. By helping families access essential supplies for themselves and their newborns, NEST seeks to ease some of the immediate pressures associated with welcoming a new baby while also helping families feel supported and reducing worry about meeting their baby's basic needs during the postpartum period. The NEST Initiative is designed to help address these challenges by prioritizing families in communities with the greatest need and families who receive or are eligible for Medicaid, providing a one-time package of essential newborn and postpartum supplies, practical educational information and connections to additional resources. The West Virginia launch is part of the broader national NEST Initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) in coordination with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The CDC Foundation is serving as a key implementation partner. Philanthropic support from Elaine and John Chambers and Merck for Mothers is helping expand the initiative's reach in West Virginia and in other communities. "NEST brings together federal leadership, philanthropic investment and trusted local health organizations in a coordinated national model," said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "Through our partnership with HHS, we are helping translate federal investment into implementation - supporting the infrastructure, partnerships, evaluation and private-sector engagement needed to move kits from a national initiative into the hands of mothers and families who need them most in communities across the country." Working in coordination with HHS, the CDC Foundation serves as an implementation partner, helping coordinate the operational infrastructure needed to deliver NEST to families while supporting evaluation and learning to understand the initiative's reach and impact. In addition, the CDC Foundation is mobilizing philanthropic and private-sector resources to complement federal investment, expand NEST's reach and deepen its impact in priority communities. These efforts are helping connect more families with essential supplies and resources during the earliest days of a child's life while building a foundation for the initiative's continued growth and implementation. "Partnerships across government, philanthropy, the private sector and communities are essential to extending the reach of programs like NEST," Monroe said. "We are grateful to Elaine and John Chambers and Merck for Mothers for coming together to help support mothers, babies and families in West Virginia." The NEST Initiative builds on the Newborn Supply Kit program launched by HHS as a pilot in 2023. Since then, the program has provided thousands of families with supplies and information to help them navigate the transition home with a newborn. NEST Kits are designed to address the immediate needs of mothers and babies during the first days and weeks after birth. Kits include newborn care and hygiene supplies such as diapers and wipes, maternal postpartum recovery items, breastfeeding support products, a blood pressure monitor and educational resources. Access to essential supplies, trusted information and connections to services are important components of broader efforts to support maternal and child health, particularly during pregnancy and the transition home with a newborn. NEST complements the CDC Foundation's broader maternal and infant health work to strengthen the systems, services and supports surrounding mothers and babies. This includes work with Perinatal Quality Collaboratives and other partners to improve the quality of maternal and infant care, advance evidence-based practices and strengthen the use of data for continuous improvement. Together, these efforts reflect a comprehensive approach to supporting mothers and babies across pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. In coordination with initiative partners, participating healthcare and maternal health organizations will provide NEST kits directly to mothers and families. In West Virginia, the public-private partnership model is helping extend NEST's reach by pairing federal leadership with privately funded implementation support. Through support from the CDC Foundation and its private-sector partners, Cribs for Kids is assisting with kit distribution to participating organizations for the West Virginia launch. Partner organizations will begin providing kits to families today. Amy Tolchinsky 470.440.6111 Recent press releases. About the CDC Foundation. The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners to support the public health system, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in preventing and responding to threats to health. In this role, CDC Foundation is focused on one priority: building catalytic, flexible and impactful partnerships - with corporations, philanthropies, individuals and organizations - to help improve the health and lives of people in all communities, everywhere. Follow the CDC Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.