How is the March of Dimes helping our community?
25-Jul-09
     The March of Dimes Virginia Chapter is working at all levels to ensure the health of mothers and babies. By leveraging its resources as part of a large national non-profit organization, your local March of Dimes chapter is able to form local alliances and secure partnerships with government officials, state and local agencies, medical institutions and hospitals, and other groups.  By working together, we have a greater impact on maternal and infant health in Virginia.
          • Newborn screening was expanded from 9 to 29 conditions beginning March 1, 2006. Since that time, 66 newborns have been diagnosed positive for the new tests.
          • Access to Care. The Virginia Chapter advocated and won an increase in eligibility for FAMIS MOMS from 185% federal poverty level to 200% federal poverty level effective July 1, 2009.
          • Genetics Education. The Virginia Chapter is now funding the development of a Virginia plan for genetics education.
          • Healthcare Earmarks. The Virginia Chapter was successful in getting the first increase in the sales tax on cigarettes with the income being earmarked for healthcare costs.
          • March of Dimes NICU Family SupportSM project was developed to respond to the emotional and informational needs of families during the NICU hospitalization, during the transition home and in the event of a newborn death. Virginia NICU Family SupportSM  project was launched at the Henrico Doctors Hospital under direction of NICU specialist. In May, 2009, a second program was launched at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, the first of its kind in a military hospital, either stateside or abroad. 
          • March of Dimes research grantee, Dr. Jerome Strauss at VCU has identified genetic variation that may cause premature rupture of the membranes and preterm birth.  This typifies how heredity may play a role in pregnancy complications.

 

Local community grants fund education, access to care and services.
     In 2009, the March of Dimes Virginia Chapter invested nearly $200,000  in grants to local communities funding programs to decrease premature birth, increase access to prenatal care, and educate women and men about having healthy babies.  Some of the current grants are:
       • Chesterfield Health Department – MADRES, maternal access to dental-related premature birth risk-reduction education and services
       • Eastern Virginia Medical School and Johnson Health Center to provide Centering Pregnancy services.
       • Richmond City WIC program for a Spanish speaking outreach worker.
       • Southwest Perinatal Council – for low literacy prenatal education.

National Research grants explore ways to prevent birth defects and prematurity.
     The national March of Dimes currently funds research grants to Virginia universities and hospitals totaling more than $2,000,000. Click here to see Mission Investment in Virginia!
     Since the victory over polio, the March of Dimes has worked to protect our nation’s young from birth defects, premature birth, and other threats to their health. Millions of babies have been saved from death or disability. The babies in every state benefit from national research grants funded by the March of Dimes. In addition, we still work toward the day when every baby has the best possible chance to be born healthy.

The March of Dimes provides public and professional health education.
• The March of Dimes Virginia Chapter provides public education materials which include brochures, booklets, posters, and videos on a variety of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and infant related issues. Items are available in easy-to-read formats and many are available in Spanish. Contact our Director of Program Services Sara Long for further information.

• The Healthy Babies Healthy Business Web site www.marchofdimes.com/hbhb provides company intranets and wellness programs with the latest high-quality pregnancy and newborn health information at no cost.

• Thousands of visitors access our family website http://www.shareyourstory.org/ to share their stories, participate in online discussions about premature babies, and meet other NICU families.

• The March of Dimes Virginia Chapter offers an annual Prematurity Summit. In 2008, we worked in partnership with five health districts in the Tidewater area with a focus on racial disparity. Our state's 2009 Prematurity Summit has been cancelled due to budget constraints, but we have linked with the MOD chapter in Northern Virginia to attend its Syposium on Quality Improvement to Prevent Prematurity to be held Oct. 8&9 in Arlington,Va. Contact our Director of Program Services Sara Long for further information.

• The March of Dimes would like to see every state screen newborns for the full panel of 29 disorders. Do you know how many we screen for in Virginia? Click here for the full story.

• In partnership with SIDS MidAtlantic, the chapter sponsors smoking cessation training for health care providers.

• Click here to see where March of Dimes research dollars are invested right here in Virginia.

• Our Virginia professionals are also encouraged to visit http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals where they can find other resources, tools and information.

Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns and a major cause of serious health problems.
     Each year, premature births cost our society billions of dollars. Nearly half a million babies are born prematurely every year and the number is rising. Here in Virginia, over 12,000 babies are born prematurely annually. Click here for the 2008 Virginia PreMaturity Report Card (good thru Sept. 1, 2009).
    The March of Dimes is leading a national effort to save babies from premature birth by funding research to find the causes and by supporting local programs that offer hope and help to families with a baby in intensive care. For further information visit our National Prematurity Campaign website and/or the PeriStats site for our Virginia Chapter.