Erica Giles, care management supervisor with the Onslow County Health Department, described a pregnancy care management program that serves pregnant residents who are Medicaid-eligible and between ages 14 and 44. The program serves women from pregnancy through two months postpartum and is intended to improve birth outcomes, Giles said.

Giles said program staff include nurses and social workers who work closely with OB providers; they ensure members attend prenatal and postpartum visits, obtain WIC and Medicaid for the baby, address housing or transportation barriers and provide education about prenatal vitamins, safe sleep and car seat safety. The department also employs car seat safety specialists and a community health worker who carries a small caseload for residents who do not qualify for the Medicaid-based program.

Giles said referrals come from OB providers, WIC, Medicaid, Department of Social Services and self-referrals. Onslow County residents and some Jones County residents are eligible; a pregnancy risk screen at the first prenatal appointment helps identify eligibility. She provided a contact number for the program at (910) 989-3942 and said the health department is located at 612 College Street in Jacksonville.

Ending: The program aims to improve maternal and infant health by coordinating care and connecting expectant mothers to medical, social and educational supports during pregnancy and the early postpartum period.