Annually, 400 000 US newborns require neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care for prematurity, congenital anomalies, or complex medical conditions. Infants in the NICU have increased risk of long-term disability, and one-third require short-term or ongoing specialty care. Parents of infants in the NICU report increased anxiety and stress in the NICU and during their transition home. Short-term peer-to-peer programs decrease stress, anxiety, and depression for mothers of infants in the NICU during hospitalization. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated the effects of postdischarge peer support for parents of NICU graduates, specifically on parental anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy, as well as infant health. Since 2009, the primary care center at Children’s National Health System has provided support to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and their families through its Parent Navigator Program. Parent navigators are parents of CSHCN and are employed by Children’s National to provide peer emotional support, access to community resources, and assistance with navigating health systems. The program assists our most medically fragile patients; 95% of parents in the program felt their needs were met and information given was helpful, and 97% would recommend parent navigation for others. We believe families with infants in the NICU would benefit from peer support provided by parent navigators after discharge.
