FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 17, 2005
For additional information contact:
Barb Hawkins-Palmer, Healthy Kent 2010 Coordinator, (616) 732-7281
Healthy Kent 2010 Releases the 2005 Pregnancy Resource Guide & Prenatal Screening Tool
(Grand Rapids, MI) -- In an effort to reduce infant mortality and redefine prenatal care, the Healthy Kent 2010 Infant Health Implementation Team (Infant Health I Team) has published the Pregnancy Resource Guide and Prenatal Screening Tool for health care providers.
The Pregnancy Resource Guide and Prenatal Screening Tool was designed to assist health care providers in the identification of the psycho-social needs of pregnant women and to help them address the barriers that can complicate their pregnancies.
While creating the Guide, the Infant Health I-team surveyed nearly 50 prenatal care providers for their input. They found that many providers do not routinely screen their patients for social risk factors that can lead to unwanted outcomes such as low birth weight or premature birth. Also, they were not always aware of the proper referral resources once a problem was identified. The providers suggested developing tools that would help them identify and address these social risk factors.
“The dedicated individuals of the Healthy Kent Infant Health Implementation Team in partnership with the Child and Family Resource Council have done a tremendous job of creating a comprehensive package of resources which redefine prenatal care in our community. Pregnant women and their health care providers will now have a better chance of identifying needs and finding the services to support a healthy birth outcome,” said Healthy Kent 2010 Board Chair, Wayne Boatwright.
The Guide was created to assist with these issues and is comprised of two separate but inter-dependent parts. The Prenatal Screening Tool provides health care practitioners the means to determine if an expecting mother displays risk factors associated with low birth weight or premature birth such as domestic violence, stress, and depression.
While the Prenatal Resource Guide provides a comprehensive list of community agencies that can assist the mother with essential services including: food, shelter, utility payments, domestic violence prevention and counseling, medical care, social support, transportation and substance abuse prevention and counseling.
The Infant Health I Team is comprised of representatives from 30 local agencies and has been working on the issue of infant mortality for several years. The development, printing and distribution of the Guide was funded by: Kent County Task Force on Health Care for People of Color, Kent County Health Department, Metropolitan Hospital, Native American Community Services ITC Healthy Start, Saint Mary’s Health Care, Spectrum Health, and Strong Beginnings.
Copies of the Pregnancy Resource Guide and Prenatal Screening tool are available by contacting Barb Hawkins-Palmer, Healthy Kent 2010 Coordinator at (616) 632-7281 or by visiting Healthy Kent 2010’s web site at www.healthykent.org and the Child and Family Resource Council website at www.childresource.cc (click “resources”).
