LANCASTER – The Welcome Baby program, which offers hospital and home-based services for pregnant women and mothers who have just given birth, has expanded to the Antelope Valley, officials announced this week.
The program will provide free support and information to pregnant women and new mothers at the hospital and in their home; provide primary health prevention and parent education, and introduce families to support services and resources in their community.
The Welcome Baby Program is free and open to babies born at Antelope Valley Hospital, regardless of income or insurance.
“We are pleased to see Antelope Valley Partners for Health step up to offer this vital resource to our region. In recent years, the Antelope Valley has yielded some alarming health statistics, including an unacceptably high rate of childhood obesity,” stated Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris in a news release. “Our children are our future. With programs like Welcome Baby, we will build a better, healthier future for our community.”
The Welcome Baby Program in the Antelope Valley is a collaboration among long standing partners of Antelope Valley Partners for Health, Black Infant Health of Antelope Valley and Children’s Bureau of Antelope Valley.
The primary objective of the program is to work with families to maximum health, safety and security for the baby and parent-child relationship and to facilitate access to support.
AVPH anticipates the program reaching about 40% (2,400) of the families giving birth at AV Hospital in the first year and 80% (4,800) in the second year. The program preferably would like to enroll women prenatally so they may receive the most education and skills available. AVPH started enrolling families in December 2013; to date it has enrolled more than 200 women.
Welcome Baby will be a vital part of AVPH’s efforts to improve outcomes for all the children of the Antelope Valley, as the organization looks forward to a continued partnership with First 5 LA.
“AVPH is thrilled to receive this funding from First 5 LA, and excited to be a part of the Universal Welcome Baby Program because it will allow us to offer services that will provide a healthy start for the babies of our community,” said Michelle Kiefer, Executive Director of AVPH. “The partnership with First 5 LA is invaluable in our campaign to promote overall health and increased child safety in the Antelope Valley. We appreciate not only the funding from First 5 LA, but also the expertise and technical support they are continuing to share as part of this initiative.”
Welcome Baby began in 2009 as a pilot program in the Best Start Metro LA Community. Since that time, it has enrolled over 3,500 moms.
For more information in the Antelope Valley Welcome Baby Program, contact Lisa Tims with Antelope Valley Partners for Health, 661 942-4719 ext. 489 or ltims@avph.org. www.avph.org
Nancy P says
Great program. This program is a start. Almost too little too late, considering how many of the babies are born to teenage GIRLS, not grown women.
Girls getting social services for their (newborns) should be required to attend parenting classes throughout their pregnancy. They should be required to attend school and graduate, taking their babies to a daycare on school grounds, staffed by other teenage students who are part of the same program. It takes a village.
New mothers would still get their education and spend time with their babies during their parenting class time.
So much (scam) daycare money could be saved while helping these new young mothers form healthy habits and bond with their babies.
Babies would grow up feeling the loving arms of their mother while they are being fed. Young mothers would learn that singing and talking to their baby while rocking and changing them, will help their babies grow.
A. Richard says
Maybe people should only have a kid when they can afford it and raise it on their own…. Funny how the people who have one or two kids because they have a brain and understand the cost and the poor tax dollar leeches have tons of kids and expect the tax payers to pay for raising their kids….
Keona says
Agreed!!
proudmomof4 says
Apparently you did not read or comprehend the article fully. This program is not about taking a ride on taxpayers money. You are implying that this is only for poor welfare recipients. Wrong! The article clearly states it is for anyone having a child here meaning rich, poor or anywhere in between. I am very proud to have been part of this program in its infancy and was offered the opportunity to participate even though we had private insurance and good income. Being a mother who had 2 older children I didn’t think they would be able to offer in the way of learning anything new but I was very wrong. Even us seasoned moms have room to learn new things so a program is this is so wonderful for a first time mom to experience.
real says
There’s young girls out there who need this program.
Quigley says
SMFH…there’s no end!!
ooohhhhmmmgg says
what do you think this program is?
Janet says
Maybe the av should do more to help prevent child abuse here in the av