NEW YORK, NY February 04, 2008 —REPORTER: The Colorado-based program aims to improve the health of low-income first-time mothers and their children.

New York's partnership director Lisa Landau says it's a voluntary program.

LANDAU: Women are referred throughout the city - from health providers, from community-based organizations - and women can decide whether they're interested in the program.

The program's nurses visit the mothers in their homes every 1-2 weeks during pregnancy and throughout their child's first 2 years of life, offering guidance on everything from breast feeding to parenting skills to strategies to attain economic self-sufficiency.

The latest expansion boosts capacity to 2,600 families in all 5 boroughs.