A pioneering program that offers new parents free at-home nurse and community health worker visits is about to expand.

For now, the Family Bridge program only applies to babies born at Bridgeport and St. Vincent hospitals. But on Monday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that it will expand to eastern Connecticut early next year.

Leonardo Del Pezo, of Fairfield, is about to celebrate his first Christmas. But for Leo’s parents, he is the real gift.

“It’s a blessing,” said his father, Jose. “Kind of wakes something up inside of you, really.”

Leo is 3 months old. And because he was born at Bridgeport Hospital, his parents also get three at-home nurse visits – at no cost. It’s part of a pilot program from the state of Connecticut called Family Bridge.

“New parents can encounter medical issues like postpartum complications, infections, trouble with their blood pressure or, of course, pain,” said Family Bridge nurse Jenna McGuire.

Since Family Bridge launched just over a year ago, nurses and community health workers have made 1,000 home visits in the Bridgeport area. The program is administered jointly by the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, Office of Early Childhood, Department of Public Health, Department of Social Services and the Department of Children and Families.

Starting early next year, Family Bridge will expand to Backus Hospital in Norwich serving eastern Connecticut, Lamont announced Monday.

“When I say ‘family friendly,’ that starts at the very beginning of life,” he said. “The idea that somebody by herself – a young mother, first time – we can get a caregiver there, a nurse on Day 1.”

The program isn’t cheap. The state has budgeted $14 million for it, but a two-year study hopes to show that Family Bridge can pay for itself in lower Medicaid costs.

For Leo’s mother, their nurse discovered a dangerous blood pressure issue.

“She helped us contact the doctor because we were pretty much sent to the emergency room, and then my wife had to stay at the hospital for a weekend,” said Jose Del Pezo.