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March of Dimes: A Champion for Babies and Moms
Prenatal Care: CenteringPregnancy® is an evidenced model of prenatal care that combines the three main components of prenatal care (assessment, education, support) in a group setting.  It can be implemented in a variety of sites such as community health centers, hospital and public health clinics, private offices and HMOs. Centering Healthcare Institute, Inc. (formerly the Centering Pregnancy & Parenting Association, Inc.) provides resources and support to organizations implementing CenteringPregnancy®, including instructional workshops, consultation, implementation handbooks/tools, and promotional materials (source: http://www.centeringpregnancy.com/).


The March of Dimes is working with the CDC in reducing disparities in Premature Birth by testing models of delivering preconception and prenatal education and services to minority women. Augusta Partnership for Children is one of the preconception/Interconception care sites. The Interconception care outcomes are postpartum visits, pregnancy spacing, multivitamin use and development/achievement of risk reduction goals.

 SMOKING CESSATION

The Office of Healthy Behaviors in the Georgia Division of Public Health has contracted the services of the Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium (TTAC) to assist in work related to the state of Georgia’s tobacco cessation efforts. TTAC will guide the administrative processes for individual and organizational involvement in four workgroups that will address comprehensive tobacco cessation services in Georgia. March of Dimes – Education Workgroup Lead Organization, has been identified to carry out the work of the strategic plan for education and will adhere to the following mission: To guide strategies and activities that will provide access to evidence-based cessation services and resources for all Georgians.

COMFORT AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES

NICU Bedside Reading Program

An integral component of the March of Dimes NICU Family Support® project is the NICU Bedside Reading Program.  The soothing sound of a parent’s voice is important in establishing the parent-infant relationship.  Through supplying hospitals with books to place in the NICU, the NICU Bedside Reading Program allows parents to read to the baby in the NICU, as well as to big brother and sister. 

The following hospitals in Georgia have the NICU Bedside Reading Program:

Archbold Memorial Hospital (Thomasville)

Athens Regional Medical Center (Athens)

Atlanta Medical Center (Atlanta)

Children’s HealthCare of Atlanta @ Egleston (Atlanta)

Children’s HealthCare of Atlanta @ Scottish Rite (Atlanta)

Colquitt Regional Medical Center (Moultrie)

Columbus Regional Medical Center (Columbus)

Dekalb Medical Center (Decatur)

DeKalb Medical Center @ Hillindale (Lithonia)

Doctor’s Hospital of Columbus (Columbus)

Emory Crawford Long Hospital (Atlanta)

Floyd Medical Center (Rome)

Hamilton Medical Center (Dalton)

Henry Medical Center( Stockbridge)

Houston Medical Center(Warner Robins)

Hutcheson Medical Center (Fort Oglethorpe)

Medical Center of Central Georgia (Macon)

Medical College of Georgia Medical Center (Augusta)

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (Gainesville)

Northside Hospital (Atlanta)

Northside Hospital (Forsyth)