Public Health Nurses funded by several agencies that serve low-income residents are making a difference with first-time mothers in Los Angeles County (LAC).
LAC has chosen to use the David Olds' Prenatal and Early Childhood Nurse Home Visitation Model that has successfully shown improvement among the vulnerable population of low-income, first-time mothers. This replication, called the Public Health Nurse Home Visitation Project (PHN-HVP) in LAC is testing a change in the intake criteria to make the program availabe to more low-income, pregnant women. The gestational age criterion has been changed to 34 weeks in select cases, and the maximum age limit has been eliminated.
LAC is comprised of over ten million residents, and as of 1997, 45.8% lived below the 200% poverty level. A significant number of these residents are first-time mothers.
To recruit this vulnerable population, the PHN-HVP has used several strategies. The program mailed information to over 6000 Medi-Cal (Medicaid) and 300 General Relief recipients. The PHN-HVP is outreaching to prenatal clinics, schools, community based organizations and the Department of Public Social Services field offices.
The objectives are to provide participants with services and linkages with community resources to reduce health disparities, improve family outcomes, and promote client self-efficacy to gain control of life circumstances.
The PHN-HVP hopes to reach a maximum enrollment of 775 clients by July 2001 and assist this extremly vulnerable and at-risk population, in reducing childhood injuries and poisonings associated with child abuse and neglect, defering subsequent pregnancies, and increasing labor force participation.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: Home Visiting, Maternal and Child Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health, Public Health Nurse Home Visitation Project.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employment