SLCoHD Nurse Named Among Top 5 Home Visitors in the Nation

(SALT LAKE COUNTY)—Alina Arutyunyan (ar-ə-tyoon-yan), a public health nurse with the Salt Lake County Health Department (SLCoHD) home visiting program, has been named one of five “Home Visitors of the Year” nationwide. The award recognizes her decade of service with the department’s Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program and her extraordinary impact on some of our community’s most vulnerable families. 

NFP pairs nurses with first-time, high-risk mothers throughout pregnancy and until their child turns two—offering not just care, but compassion, advocacy and a roadmap to resilience. For the moms she serves, Alina is often the first person to truly listen. 

“I meet moms wherever they feel safest—at home, in a library, or even a treatment center,” said Arutyunyan. “I’m there to walk beside them as they navigate pregnancy, parenthood and often deeply personal challenges. The trust they place in me is humbling, and I do everything I can to help them build the life they want for themselves and their children.” 

More than 95% of pregnancies in the program are unplanned. Many clients face barriers such as homelessness, domestic violence, generational poverty and mental health struggles. Still, Arutyunyan's clients don’t just survive—they thrive. Her graduation rate for clients completing the full 2.5-year program is an astounding 98%, compared to the national average of 36%. 

“Alina’s work is transformational,” said Dorothy Adams, executive director of SLCoHD. “She not only delivers exceptional nursing care—she restores hope. Her relationships with clients build a foundation for healthier families and stronger communities.” 

Research shows the long-term value of home visiting programs is substantial. Evidence-based home visiting can reduce child maltreatment by as much as 48%, and studies estimate that for every $1 invested in evidence-based early childhood home visiting, communities save $2 to $5 (depending on the program) in future interventions avoided—from emergency room visits to child welfare involvement. 

“This national recognition reflects what Salt Lake County residents already know: public health nurses like Alina Arutyunyan are changing lives, one visit at a time,” said Adams. 

Arutyunyan’s recognition was part of the inaugural National Home Visiting Week, observed April 21–25, and organized by the Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals—a nonprofit working to strengthen home visiting and human service programs across the country. The week celebrates the vital role home visitors play in improving maternal and child health outcomes. Read more about Alina and her accomplishments at TheInstituteFSP.org/alina.

Families across Utah can benefit from evidence-based home visiting programs like Nurse-Family Partnership, Parents as Teachers, and Family Spirit. These programs support positive parenting, child development, family self-sufficiency and maternal health. To learn more or find a home visiting program near you, visit the Utah Home Visiting Program.