MODELS FOR PRACTICE

FOCUS AREA: MATERNAL, INFANT, AND CHILD HEALTH

Program Name: Maternal Infant Care Program

Location: Peekskill, New York

Problem Addressed: Maternal, Infant, and Child Health

Healthy People 2010 Objective: 16-6, 16-7, 16-19

Web Address: http://www.hrhcare.org

SNAPSHOT

The Maternal Infant Care Program is an innovative program that seeks to improve the emotional and physical health outcomes of new mothers and their children. Community women are recruited and trained to serve as partners during the prenatal through postpartum period. Support is offered to break down barriers to care through a variety of venues including driving the mother to her appointments, childbirth education classes, or translation at the time of her visit to the doctor. Prenatal classes are offered weekly to participants; women are able to pick up their Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program checks; and earn incentive points for attending the class and redeem them for baby care items, strollers, and car seats, etc.

THE MODEL

Blueprint: The Maternal Infant Care Program operates in community health centers and migrant camps. The program began in 1996 and is a collaborative between 10 organizations including the March of Dimes, Zeta Phi Beta sorority, and area churches and businesses. Key staff who are directly involved in the model for practice include WIC-nutritionists, nurse midwives, educators, lactation consultants, childbirth educators, family health services, behavioral health specialists, and social workers.

This model focuses on low birth weight (LBW) babies, breastfeeding, access to all services, increased access to prenatal care during the first trimester, and increased rates for well-baby check ups and for women coming in for their postpartum visit. The target population includes all women of childbearing age but primarily focuses on racial/ethnic minorities and migrant farm worker women. The rural sites are 75 percent Hispanic and 25 percent African American or other. The program is carried out in education sessions and offers all services under one program.

Making a Difference: The program is ongoing and continues to request donations from churches, etc. Data are collected and reported annually on the rate of LBW babies, rate of breastfeeding, and length of breastfeeding. The percentage of LBW babies decreased from 7 percent in 1999 to 1 percent in 2001. In addition, the percentage breastfeeding at eight weeks postpartum increased from 67 percent in 1999 to 72 percent in 2001.

Beginnings: The program was initiated in 1996 after a review of statistics for women’s health and WIC programs. The original stakeholders included March of Dimes, Zeta Phi Beta, area churches and businesses, and patients. New stakeholders have been added including the Warwick United Methodist Church and the Migrant Head Start program. Services are provided through a community health center that has two paid staff, two donated staff, and three volunteer staff.

Challenges and Solutions: The program was initiated with a small start-up grant from the St. Faith Foundation. Since that time though, financial support of this program has been through a collaboration of private and public organizations that donate services or people power. The Hudson River Health Care Program provides the majority of funding needed through its grant-operated WIC and women’s health services.

The program is publicized primarily through the WIC and prenatal department and word of mouth. The program received the Models that Work Award in May 2000 through the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The curriculum is available on the HRSA/BPHC website (http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/mtw/MTW_PLANETREE.HTM), which provides detailed information on how to implement the program.

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

Kathy Brieger

Maternal Infant Care Program

Hudson River Health Care

1037 Main Street

Peekskill, NY 10566

Phone: (914) 734-8613

Fax: (914) 734-8730