Maternity and Infant Care Project (MIC)

In 1966 the North Central Florida Maternal Infant Child program was started at the University of Florida as part of a national program to improve access to care and improve the health of women and children. The UF departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, College of Nursing and College of Pharmacy would travel in teams to surrounding counties and provide care, usually out of the local health departments, to people who had no insurance and no access to health care in their communities.

In the early 1970’s, the government grant was suspended. At that time the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology took over the program and made it a prenatal program. The name was changed to the Maternity and Infant Care project because the pediatric component was dropped. So, since 1966 the UF department of obstetrics and gynecology has had as part of its mission the provision of high-quality prenatal care to the underserved women in our region. The women receive their prenatal and post partum care in their communities, then deliver their babies at Shands at the University of Florida.

As of September, 2008, we will be providing care in the following counties: Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Marion, and Suwannee. The care is provided by highly qualified and experienced nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. Care is provided through a contract with local providers in Putnam County. In all the UF sites patients are seen at their local health departments, except in Alachua where they are seen at the Shands at UF site.

Women who are eligible for this program are on Medicaid or are seen for free if they are ineligible for Medicaid but their income in less than 150% of poverty.

For more information call your local health department, or, at UF call Lyn Thomas at (352) 273-7562.