In its ongoing efforts to improve the health of babies, March of Dimes NICU Family Support® was developed and launched in 2001 to provide information and comfort to families during the NICU hospitalization, the transition home, and in the event of a newborn's death.  The project also aims to contribute to NICU staff professional development, and to promote a family-centered approach in Level III NICUs that results in enhanced standards of care for infants and families.

After careful analysis of NICUs nationwide, Tufts Medical Center was selected as one of 15 new March of Dimes NICU Family Support sites launched in 2007.  The Floating Hospital for Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a designated tertiary care nursery for critically ill newborns.  The unit offers intensive medical, surgical and nursing care, electronic monitoring, life support systems, and a complete range of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.  Support groups and specialized social services are available for families of infants in the NICU.