Priority Area: Maternal/Child Health

FIMR is a two-tiered process consisting of a Case Review Team (CRT) and a Community Action Team (CAT). The CRT, consisting of social workers, physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, and others who work with pregnant women and infants, examine individual cases of fetal and infant mortality to look for trends in community strengths and opportunities for improvement. After reviewing many cases, the CRT gives recommendations to the CAT whose membership includes a broader cross section of stakeholders to make positive changes in the community. As of January 1, 2017, the CRT had reviewed a total of 23 cases. The CAT is scheduled to meet and receive recommenda- tions on March 16, 2017. FIMR is a strategy recommended by the CDC.

The group prenatal model of care includes a health assessment, group support and educational classes aimed at reducing preterm births and low birth weights. The program includes evidence-based strategies and activities to address several causes known to be risk factors for preterm births including poor nutrition, tobacco, alcohol, recreational drug use, stress and inadequate prenatal care. County Health Rankings (CHR) rates Centering as a scientifically- supported program.

The Period of PURPLE Crying Program was developed by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) and has two primary aims. One goal is to improve parental self-efficacy and care of infants by teaching parents about the normal patterns of increased infant crying in healthy infants in the first few months of life and providing evidence-informed strategies for parents to try to soothe a crying infant. Secondly, the program strives to reduce the incidence of Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT) and infant physical abuse by teaching the dangers of shaking an infant, techniques to cope with infant crying that may be frustrating and empowering parents to put their infant down in a safe place when they are frustrated. This education is provided to all parents of infants delivered at Parkview facilities. Outreach is conducted at events attended by families, in schools and to other social service agencies.

The CDC calls Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) “the death of an infant less than one year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly and whose cause of death is not immediately obvious before the investigation.” SUID accounts for approximately 3,500 deaths in the United States annually. Following the safe sleep practices ABCs, putting baby to bed Alone, on his or her Back and in a Crib is an effective way to decrease the incidence of these deaths. Parkview Health is a Cribs for Kids Certified Safe Sleep Hospital. In 2015, Parkview was recognized by Cribs for Kids with the Gold Safe Sleep Champion Award. This commitment to best practices and education continues both inside and outside our hospital walls today.

Parkview provides new mothers with breastfeeding education and support as hospital inpatients, in the community, and in their own homes. This multi-pronged approach recognizes that mothers need ongoing support to initiate and maintain breastfeeding.

According to Indiana’s Family and Social Services Agency, “Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women (PEPW) is a process that offers temporary coverage of prenatal care services to pregnant women while their Medicaid applications are pending.” A lack of coverage is a significant barrier to obtaining prenatal care. Women who receive early prenatal care are more likely to have positive pregnancy outcomes than those who receive late prenatal care or no prenatal care at all. A Brightpoint representative is located at the PPG OB/GYN office on Carew Street.

The results of the 2016 FIMR study indicated that the mental health needs of pregnant and post-partum women must be addressed. Perinatal Mood Disorders are the most common complication of childbirth and mental health issues can be a risk factor for preterm birth. The FIMR Community Action Team has formed a Mental Health Taskforce to determine and then implement initiatives to address this need. These plans are currently in development.

Parkview offers eight different prenatal classes that help to prepare, encourage and support families prior to the birth of a new baby. These group-based parenting classes include the following: Preparing for Childbirth, Basic & Beyond Parenting, Breastfeeding Class, Pet-Friendly Class, Grandparents Class, Sibling Class, Multiples Class, and Dad’s Boot Camp. All classes are free and open to the public. Group parenting classes are rated as scientifically supported by the County Health Rankings.

The Child Maltreatment Symposium is an annual event sponsored by Parkview Pediatric Trauma Center, Parkview Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Isaac Knapp Dental Society, and the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne through the Isaac Campbell Kidd Fund. The event, open to anyone who works with children, covers the scope of child abuse in Indiana, predicting risk factors for child abuse, forensic psychology, and how to report abuse if it is suspected.

The Child Protection Team consists of a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, including a pediatric intensivist emergency department physician, trauma medical director, and nurses, who review suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment. The goal of the review process serves two purposes: 1) Retrospective identification of suspected child abuse and 2) Performance improvement in caring for infants and children. Suspected cases of child abuse identified by the team during the review process are promptly reported. In reviewing cases, team members identify staff educational needs and opportunities to improve assessment skills.