Maternal Child Health
For many, having a baby can be an exciting, yet stressful time. The Maternal Child Health (MCH) program at VNAHSR provides pregnant women with primary and preventative services and goes on to help postpartum women and their newborns make the transition from hospital to home.
MCH services include:
- Health information about pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
- Social services including links to other human service agencies to assist with housing, food, healthcare, childcare, counseling, and employment services.
- Assistance in managing prenatal health problems (including diabetes, asthma, cancer, and infections).
- Wound care for women after Cesarean section.
- Maternal and newborn assessments.
- Medical support for premature infants or infants with special health needs.
- Injections to help prevent respiratory infections in children.
- Assistance with breastfeeding and other feeding difficulties.
- Education regarding preventative healthcare, childhood illnesses, child safety including car restraints, postpartum depression, family planning and other parental concerns.
The early care and guidance given to moms and their babies have proven to reduce long-term medical and environmental risks. VNAHSR receives referrals from hospitals, physicians and Vermont Department of Health. In addition to prenatal counseling, each family referred to us receives a call from an MCH nurse within 24-hours of hospital discharge.
MCH nurses look at the whole picture: What’s the housing like for the family, their economic status, what other services are out there to help the family? Is the child safe? Is mom experiencing post-partum depression? Are doctors’ check-ups and vaccinations being followed up on? Is food or fuel an issue? The MCH program is there as a complete resource for moms and their babies.
Sometimes a family receives a visit once or twice to ensure they have a good support system – other times we may follow a family for many years. The care and services provided are 100% customized to the needs of the family.”
For more information about the MCH program, call toll free at 800.244.0568.
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Strong Families VERMONT. Start at Home
We partner with the Department for Children and Families Child Development Division to deliver a comprehensive system of voluntary home visiting in Vermont. While there can be some variation regarding eligibility or length of service, all home visiting includes trained professionals – nurses, social workers, child development specialists and more – who meet regularly with expectant parents or caregivers with young children in their homes. Home visitors partner with parents and caregivers to tailor services and resources to best meet the unique needs of each family. We work with families and caregivers to:
- Recognize and build on the strengths of the family, parents and children in the home.
- Teach parenting skills and model effective techniques.
- Promote early learning in the home with an emphasis on positive interactions between parents, caregivers and children.
- Provide information and guidance on a wide range of topics including breastfeeding, safe sleep position, injury prevention and nutrition.
- Conduct screenings and provide referrals and connections to resources if necessary.
- Connect families to other services and resources as appropriate.
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